It’s an urban legend. It’s so old that we don’t even know who started it. For some, Adil Fikri, 38 now, could have become “Beaubreuil gang leader”. He had everything to be a leader. He was tall, he was strong and, to top it off, he was smart and charismatic.
“It could have,” he admits nearly three decades later. Sport allowed me to have my mind elsewhere while some were already thinking of doing business. ” At the time, his father had done everything to ensure that his eldest son did not stray from the right path: “He had enrolled me in all sports (swimming, athletics, judo) because he preferred that I do activities supervised sports at the exit of the school rather than hanging out at the bottom of the building. »
Gifted, talented and hardworking, Adil finds his calling in judo. In the dojo, less than a kilometer from his home. At Petit Beaubreuil, right next to the fire station. Undefeated among the minors, he became French cadet champion in 2001 with the logo of the Beaubreuil Judo Club – “there was a tiger on our crest” – above his heart. This is the first title for the Fikri. The first of a huge series (see below) and twenty years of glory for this family from Moroccan immigration. Achraf, Kamal then, Wassim, to a lesser degree, will experience the same success. on the French stage. And global.
Beaubreuil, a no-brainer
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At the end of their career, Adil and Kamal, having become judo teachers, could have forgotten their roots. Where it all began. It’s not the kind of siblings… “I was frustrated that there was nothing left in this dojo, testifies Adil. In my opinion, there was something to be done to recreate a dynamic. »
His little brother Kamal, 28, stuck to it with comrades from the Limoges Judo Alliance (Adrien Lacombe and Jason Guillot). For him, judo in his childhood neighborhood remains a tasty Madeleine de Proust: “I remember when we went to training, going up the avenue de Beaubreuil. We were all in kimono, it was funny. […] We waited for the fights, at the end of the training, to “fighter” (sic) then we winnowed at school according to the results. »
AJ Limoges: the club forced to review its sports policy to continue to exist
For him, his brother and others, reviving judo in Beaubreuil was obvious. A necessity. Almost an obligation. “When we wanted to create sections at the Alliance Judo Limoges, we immediately thought of Beaubreuil, testifies Kamal. We wanted to share our passion, explain why we had taken up judo and what it had brought us. If we’ve been there, why not others? »
“Participating in the 1,000 dojos project”
Created in September 2018, the section started with around twenty licensees. Four years later, it has almost quadrupled (72). But, like football, which nevertheless has the number 1 club (hierarchically) in Limoges, the structure comes up against limits: infrastructure. “The dojo has become too small, observes Kamal. We are often forced to make two groups: young people train while others wait. “We would like to participate in the project “1,000 new dojos for 2024” initiated by the French Federation which helps to build new equipment, continues Adil. This would meet a need for space, it would contribute to the development of judo in the neighborhood with, in particular, a job prospect behind it. “The one who could have become a gang leader always knows how to count and project himself:” This can be part of the renovation plan for the districts of Limoges of 240 million euros with a tool that would be useful to everyone and not only to judo. »
Adil Fikri and his funny ladies
In the meantime, his sons, Rédouane, 8, and Amir, 5, are training in his childhood dojo. To imitate, in a few years, the exploits of dad and uncles?
CV Express
Fair Fikri
Ambre Saba, Adil Fikri & Charlaine Couvidat Judo (from left to right)
38 ans,
Federal technical framework
French cadet and junior champion
Champion of France in the cadets (2001, -90 kg) then in the juniors (2003, -90 kg), he struggles to confirm in the seniors. He relaunched his career, under the colors of Morocco, by finishing, twice, 3rd in the African championships (2011 and 2012 in -100 kg). After failing to qualify for the 2012 Olympics, the technical director of the Limoges Judo Alliance guides the women to medals at the French team championships (3rd in 2013, 2nd in 2015) and at the European club championships ( 3rd in 2015). He has been the coach of the Pôle Espoirs de Limoges since September 2013.
Achraf Fikri
Fanny Posvite with Achraf Fikri
34 ans, educator
Vice-champion d’Europe juniors
He was part of the golden generation of the French team with Riner, Legrand, Maret and Clerget, all medalists at the senior worlds. Junior European vice-champion (2006, – 60 kg), Achraf could have imitated them but, according to diets and category changes, he only obtained one medal in the European Cup (2nd in London, 2009) . He will obtain more success as a coach of the AJL with a 3rd place in the “France” by teams (2018) and especially by accompanying individually Fanny Posvite during her change of category (2020). Since last year, he has been a youth referent in a social center in Lille.
Kamal Fikri
Kamal Fikri in the Beaubreuil dojo
28 years old, judo teacher
Junior World Vice-Champion
“Tournament world champion”, Kamal won bronze medals at the French cadet (2010, – 55 kg) and junior (2013, – 60 kg) championships. He had a wonderful season as a junior in 2014, winning bronze at the European championships and then silver at the world championships. Like his big brothers, he shines little in seniors, not comfortable, like them, in Paris and Insep. After two medals in the European Cup in 2017 (2nd in Uster, 3rd in Sarajevo in – 60 kg), he ended his career in 2019. He is now a judo teacher in Saint-Priest-Taurion, Saint-Léonard-de -Noblat and Beaubreuil.
Kevin Cao
Twitter: @ kevincao87
