It’s a blow that has just fallen... Lucie Ignace, it’s over ! The French champion thinks she suffers an injustice. Not selected for the individual (-61 kg) at the Madrid World championships (November 6th-11th), she decided to abandon her Olympic dream and leave the French national team right away. She took a plane, direction : Reunion Island, her homeland. A heat of passion ? It doesn’t seem so.
World champion in 2012, running silver World medalist, three-times European champion, the Reunion girl has choosen to bow out at only 25. She returns home, her head full of projects and the heart a bit... released ! She tells us about it.
By Ludovic Mauchien / Photos : KPhotos
Sunday, September 30th, in a newspaper from the Island of Reunion, Lucie Ignace announced not to be selected in -61 kg for the next Worlds and, as a result, she decides to quit the French team and the Olympic qualification ! For a news, that’s a news !
We knew the competition was tough in -61 kg between Leila Heurtault, Lucie Ignace and Gwendoline Philippe. We did not know what the consequences might be. After 10 years of national team, punctuated by 27 international medals in individual, rich of a world title (2012), three European ones (2015, 2016, 2018) and several epic campaign by team, Lucie Ignace returns home.
Scheduled for the Tokyo K 1, selected for the team competition at the Worlds, she refused everything. She believes that she suffers an injustice, which is fatal to the Olympic race in her mind. She left right away Paris for the Reunion Island, where we joined her by phone.
What is your feeling today ? The French team, it’s really over for you ?
My feeling ? I don’t know what to say... Except that I am in the same state of mind as when I left Paris last week. For me, the French team is over. I drew a line under it. I refused to participate in the Tokyo Karate 1 and the World championships. If I thought of a future with the national team, I might not have made the « Worlds », but I would still have gone to Tokyo. When I made the decision to leave, it was well thought out.
« I WILL NOT TRY TO QUALIFY FOR THE OLYMPICS »
Does this mean that you are also drawing a line under the Olympics, or will you continue on your side ?
No, I will not try to qualify. The World championships are an extremely important step, the coefficient is very high and the points count at 100%. The foreign fighters who will perform will enter the top ten in the ranking. And after, they will not stay at home ! They will continue to go to competitions like Karate 1, some even to the Series A, whioch we don’t do with our national team. They will therefore have the maximum points and, in addition, they will continue to win some. I just do not want to run after points.
These Worlds are the last before the Olympics. It would have been the last for me too since I had extended my career only for the individual competition and, above all, to try to get an Olympic qualification.
Was it a complete surprise for you to not be selected to the Worlds ?
I felt it coming because at the beginning of the season, they sent my opponent to compete in order to get the maximum of points to participate in Karate 1. On my side, I managed to do my job. And, for me, work has to pay.
I had a lot of people, some great athletes who are shocked by the fact that I was European Champion 4 months ago and that I am still a big favorite for the World championships. I was silver medalist in 2016. And everyone knows that in the draw, the favorites are separated, are not on the same side.
« BEING AN ATHLETE… WE HAVE NO TIME FOR OURSELVES »
Are you more disappointed, angry or fatalist ?
I would say disappointed. It's not anger because I'm very realistic. I do not run after something for nothing. The points acquired at the Worlds, it’s huge ! But it's not anger or rage, it's disappointment because it also means a lack of respect.
From now on, what do you wish to do ?
First of all, I came back home ! Being an athlete, especially for me living in Reunion Island, it is a lot of travels, a lot of sacrifices. We miss a lot of family events. We have NO time for ourselves. We only work, train, compete. Out of competition, we have diets, we must pay attention to everything, etc. It's a lot of constraints. We have time to do nothing. With all the trips, plus the 11 hours of flight for me each time, it was not easy.
The most important thing for me is to have time for yourself and to have a stable and healthy life. I want to enjoy my loved ones, I also have projects in relation to the youth of Reunion, in Karate and some sports that interest me. I am a fan of athletics. I really like the 100 m. I had already been told to try before but I was a top athlete in Karate.
« NOW, I WILL HAVE TIME TO THINK ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE »
You give the impression of being released from a heavyweight...
Released ? I don’t know... But I am in total agreement with myself. You're not the first to tell me that, I don’t know why (she laughs). But I thought a lot before making my decision. I am in agreement with my choice, so with myself. This is the most important thing for me. I also have the support of my parents, my loved ones and their understanding. It's also important to me.
When you say « you have thought alot », was it just last week or did you start thinking about it before ?
I did not think about not being selected, because I am three times European champion and silver World medalist. I thought I will be selected for the Worlds. But there was also an option in my head that said : « If I'm not selected, I will not waste my time and implement projects that are important to me and that I've always pushed back to focus on my athlete’s career ».
It was my career, my career, my career first. Now, I will have time to think of something else. It's a luxury to have time for something other than training, testing, traveling ...
