Lucie Decosse to Mentor Athletes at Nanjing

Lausanne, Mar 30, 2014: Mentor, Recently the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced the list of 37 Athlete Role Models (ARMs) who will attend the second Summer Youth Olympic Games from 16 to 28 August in Nanjing, China. Lucie Decosse, Olympic and World Champion, was designated as the ARM for Judo. In Nanjing, she will play a key role in supporting, mentoring and offering advice to the 3,800 young athletes who will be participating in the Games.

Claudia Bokel, Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission and Olympic silver medallist in fencing, said: “The Athlete Role Model programme is a really unique element of the Youth Olympic Games. The ARMs have so much valuable information to pass on to the younger generation. They will really inspire and empower the athletes long after the Games conclude to not only be great ‘Youth Olympians’, but to share the skills and values learnt at the YOG with their communities and peers.”

Just after her nomination, Lucie Decosse commented: “It is a real honor for me to become the Athlete Role Model for Judo. I really have the feeling that I will be like an ambassador of my sport. It represents a lot to me, because in 1998, I participated in the World Youth Games in Moscow as an athlete. I have the impression that now the circle is closed. There is a philosophical dimension in becoming the Role Model in Nanjing.”

The Olympic and World Champion also declared: “For the moment, I am waiting for my exact missions during the Games. It is something new for me. I know that everything will be well organized and that I will have to exchange a lot with all the participants to transfer to them my experience. I will have to communicate on my career. I will probably participate in conferences, discussions… I love to meet the young and future generation of champions.”

Lucie Decosse, throughout her sports career, had several times the chance to go to China, but it will be her first trip without the pressure of the competition: “Beside the Games in 2008 and several training camps, I never really visited China. So, I am looking forward to discovering China. I am keen to discover and to learn and I hope that my ARM missions will give me the opportunity to do so. Anyway, I will go there for a sporting event, so it won’t be totally different from what I know. For instance, I was dozens of time to Japan for competitions and training, but recently for the first time, I went to Japan, after the end of my career, and I really discovered the country with a different angle, that I really enjoyed.”

After the end of her sports career, Lucie Decosse decided to take the time to prepare her future life: “I am now in a transition phase of my life. I observe a lot. I have the chance to have my sponsors still with me and supporting me. I don’t yet how I want to be involved in sports and in Judo, but for sure I will. I have good contacts with my federation. I do a little bit of journalism with BeInSport and I travel a lot to discover what’s going on around the world.”

To be an Athlete Role Model is an important and crucial mission for the next generations. Lucie Decosse remembers when she was an athlete and had also her role models: “When I participated in 1998 at the World Youth Games, in Moscow, my coach was Cecile Novak, Olympic and World Champion as well. I was impressed and motivated to follow her steps. She is one of the first great champions that I met.”

To end a sports career is not an easy thing to do, but Lucie Decosse already has a few ideas: “My life is in judo. I dedicated my life to judo. I won’t go away even if I don’t feel becoming a coach. We will see. But anyway, I would be very interested to stay as close as possible with the Judo family. I would be interested for instance to become a real ambassador of my sport and of sports in general, in order to promote its values and transfer them to the youngsters.” —- © Photo – IJF Media Team

Lucie Decosse career highlights

Olympic Games

London 2012 – GOLD

Beijing 2008 – SILVER

Senior World Championships

2011 – GOLD

2010 – GOLD

2007 – SILVER

2005 – GOLD

Senior European Championships

2011 – BRONZE

2009 – GOLD

2008 – GOLD

2007 – GOLD

2006 – SILVER

2005 – BRONZE

2002 – GOLD

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