Olympic medalist in judo, she dreams of being one in rugby in 2026: “I'm starting from scratch, I'm nobody”, Amandine Buchard's crazy bet

Amandine Buchard n'a peur de rien. Et surtout pas des contacts physiques qui l'attendent au rugby. MAXPPP – Eugene Hoshiko

Mêler judo et rugby, le rêve olympique d’Amandine Buchard est totalement inédit.

“To compete in the Olympic Games in judo and rugby” : the hyperactive judoka Amandine Buchard, never satisfied, knows that she has a lot to prove in her new colors of the Stade français to make this “crazy challenge” a possibility, with Los Angeles 2028 in her sights.

Sweet dream or concrete objective ? This dual project, announced the day after the closing ceremony of the Paris Games by the 29-year-old judoka, came as a surprise, but reached a first milestone with her signing with the Stade français last week. “I was starting to lose a little of that flame for judo”, rewinds Amandine Buchard, bronze medalist in Paris in – 52 kgs, her second individual medal after the silver in Tokyo, and who explains having suffered from the Covid years and the pressure of the medals that are expected of an athlete with her track record.

On the advice of her psychologist and her mental trainer, she then looks for a resource activity, to breathe a different air than that of the tatamis. "Some are art, others are music, others are studies. “I'm addicted to sport”, Buchard analyzes.

Without a club after her breakup with Paris Saint-Germain, opposed to her dual project, after the Games, Amandine Buchard was then contacted by Stade Français, of which Noisy is a partner club. Seduced by the character of“this girl full of punch”, Yohanne Penot, the sports director of the Stade Français rugby school, is convinced that she can bring “a state of mind of a high-level athlete”, without however “rushing the stages”.

I have no doubt about the contact

A world exists between the Fédérale 2 and Elite 2, where the Pink Rockets, the women's team of Stade Français, play, not to mention the Bleues of rugby sevens. Initially, Buchard will continue to train and play in her club in Noisy, and will gradually integrate the Parisian team.“We don't expect Amandine to perform right away. It's a four-year project, our goal is to support it", tempers Philippe Jaulin, president of the Stade français Paris rugby association.

"I have no doubts about the contact", smiles Yohanne Penot. "I'm years behind in terms of vision, play, positioning", recognizes Buchard, who accumulates technical exercises and especially does not want "to arrive in diva". "I have to make my place in the world of rugby because I'm starting from scratch, I'm nobody", she insists.

Titanic program

Other problems will quickly be added to her heavy training schedule: weight management, essential in judo, that of competition calendars… Not enough to discourage the fiery athlete who will reduce her judo competition program.

No Grand Slam of Bercy next February, but priority to the European championships (April) and world (June). Still to be sure to be selected in the French judo team, where places can be expensive. “Being the best in my category in judo, I will not leave the choice of not being selected”, declares Buchard, determined to tackle any obstacle.