Mélodie is a high-level athlete. She stands out in particular in judo where she reached 5ein junior, at the European and World Championships, individually. However, she rose to first place as a team in these two competitions. Today, she talks about her daily life as an engineering student at Bordeaux Sciences Agro and a high-level athlete.
Mélodie’s journey
Can you tell us more about your academic background?
I did a bac S. I was in sports studies. It was a classic baccalaureate, only our schedule was arranged to allow us to train. I then followed two years of biology, then I took the competitive examination to join Bordeaux Sciences Agro.
Where does your love and passion for judo come from?
I have always done a lot of sport. I needed to move so I tried several disciplines, including judo. I lived in a small village and there wasn’t much choice. Among all the sports offered, judo is the one that interested me the most. So I fell into this discipline, because it was practical at the beginning.
The daily life of a judo champion
How do you prepare for your competitions? Are you stressed?
Before, I was very stressed and had difficulty managing this stress. I had a few disappointments in sport, then I had a breakthrough and I learned to let go. I still sometimes remain a little stressed depending on the competitions.
You were world champion. What emotion do you feel when you discover your victory?
I’ve never done team sports, but being world champion as a team increases the joy tenfold. It is a victory that we all celebrate together. However, judo remains a sport that includes a lot of respect and we must contain our emotion, even if we are joyful and euphoric.
Today, judo takes you how many hours per week?
Today, my workouts take me about 12 hours a week. The weekend remains devoted to competitions.
Judo in Bordeaux Sciences Agro
Why did you decide to continue your studies and not make a living from judo?
It’s hard to make a living from judo and so the question didn’t arise. What I asked myself was: do I continue judo or do I dedicate myself fully to my studies? Today, I have the chance to follow studies that I really enjoy while continuing with judo. It is true that, sometimes, some athletes will do everything to obtain a diploma, even if it means following studies that they do not necessarily like and that is a shame.
How do you juggle your studies and practicing high-level sport?
When I was an undergraduate, I was in an adapted program. Some students took notes for me. I no longer have this system at Bordeaux Sciences Agro, but the school and the teachers are very understanding. They allow me to be absent and I make up the classes I miss, in the evenings and on weekends. This year, I even had the possibility of not doing my exams at the same time as the others and of doing some of them in the form of oral exams.
Why did you choose Agro Sciences?
My parents are farmers. This is an area that I know. With my degree in biology, I realized how much I loved biology and everything that revolves around nutrition. Thanks to Bordeaux Sciences Agro, I can work in the agri-food industry or culture.
What is your professional project? Do you plan to give up judo to devote yourself to your future profession?
I don’t know yet what I want to do. What interests me most today is nutrition, but I don’t yet know what job I will do or what I will do in two years. I know that I will continue to juggle my studies and judo and it will mainly depend on the sport. You never know. I can get injured and stop or have very good results which force me to dedicate myself fully to judo. I’m giving myself two more years to think about it.
