Martial arts: ''Sport for all in Cévennes'', the factory of champions

Les quatre champions du monde gardois entourés de Laurent et Ayette Choquet.

Avec quatre titres, en kickboxing et MMA, les 2 et 3 mars 2024 à Genève (Suisse) lors des championnats du monde fédération MFS, l’association basée du côté du Vigan s’est illustrée, confirmant son savoir-faire.

It's been going on for eighteen years and it's a bit like their ‘’third baby’’ to success. In 2006, Ayette (president) and Laurent (trainer) Choquet created ‘’Sport pour tous en Cévennes’’, an association based in Aulas, a village next to Vigan, bringing together different martial arts (kickboxing, K-1, MMA, free boxing, judo).

Laurent Choquet : ''We didn't want to be extra''< /h2>

Their two children, Ismaël, 17, and Amara, 18, also had the wind in their sails at the beginning of March, in Geneva (Switzerland), during the ‘’Monde’&rsquo ; MMA and kickboxing MFS (mix fighting system). ''The objective of the season was already to be champion of France, in Marseille, with our young people, indicates Laurent Choquet, 45 years old. Afterwards, at the World Championships, we knew that things would get complicated and we couldn't say that we were going to be 1st, even if we didn't want to make up the numbers.''

In Switzerland, Ismaël and Amara therefore best represented the association. The first named was crowned in MMA/free boxing (juniors, – 70 kg) and the second was crowned in kickboxing/K-1 (- 55 kg). In the wake of Mohamed Sbaa, titled in kickboxing and MMA/free boxing (- 60 kg), and Kelinya Auboiroux, crowned in kickboxing/K-1 (- 50 kg).

Three young people on the verge of a professional career

''Of the 4 world champions, Mohamed Sbaa was approached by MMA organizations and should sign in one of them, welcomes the coach of the & ;lsquo;’Team Choquet’’. As for Ismaël (on ministerial list in judo), he was also detected by organizations. In total, we had three young people approached to go pro: two in kickboxing and one in MMA.''
A real collective success for a club with 350 members. ''All this is the result of the work accomplished over the past eighteen years, recalls the one who is DTN in ‘’physical activities for all’’ at the MFS. At the beginning, we were doing leisure activities before moving on to competition. We also have a martial arts school with children who practice MMA, judo, kickboxing. And there are also adapted sports and disabled sports.''

A training center with twelve sports instructors

All supervised by two official coaches and a training center of 12 sports facilitators, ready for tomorrow. ''The goal was to develop the multi-sports club in Le Vigan (bodybuilding, cross training, fitness, soccer…), points out Choquet. There, we prepare for the future by training young people, some of whom have already graduated.'' In the ring, some students passed the exam with honors.