Michel Lebrun, technical director of Judo Club Noyon, with his students Akram Boussaid, Lyra Cadot, Nassim Habbou and Salim Oubenaissa – Photo: Fabrice Alves-Teixeira / Oise Hebdo
He is celebrating his seventieth birthday this year and seems to have never been in such good health. THE Judo Club Noyon and its almost 600 members remains the largest Noyon club. A club that cultivates values and results. This year 2024 is off to a great start with five black belts already obtained since the start of the year, and above all very good performances.
Teacher at the club since 2001, Michel Lebrun has been its technical director since 2009. With his teams, he takes his judokas to a level of excellence. The 2024 vintage of cadets (14 to 17 years old) is particularly strong: four will participate this year in the French 1st division Championship. No other club in Oise will send so many judokas to this competition, the toughest and most anticipated of the year.
The cadets: a reservoir of nuggets
Among Michel Lebrun’s gems: Salim Oubenaissa. Whoever fights in the -81 kg category is currently ranked 4th best Frenchman in the national ranking (determined by tournament performances). While the first 10 nationals obtain a wild card (without having to qualify through regional tournaments), Salim will go to the French championships at the Paris Dojo with the ambition of making a podium. “His last performance was a 5th place in the European Cup where he fought following his selection by the Hauts-de-France league,” notes Michel Lebrun. While he is in his 3rd year as a cadet, “he lacks a little psychological trigger to make a podium at the highest level, even if he has the means,” believes his technical director.
In the event of a strong performance at these championships, the Noyon judokas could join the French team for the European and world championships. A real goal.
A goal also shared by three other judokas, qualified in March following the Hauts-de-France championship which was held in Nogent-sur-Oise in the new departmental dojo. Noyon sent fifteen judokas there and three obtained their ticket for the French Championship. “It’s been a long time since we’ve had so many great performances,” rejoices Michel Lebrun. Lyra Cadot, in the -44 kg girls category, will be one of them. She won a silver medal at the regional championships. In the -60 kg boys category, Akram Boussaid (bronze medal), and Nassim Habbou (5th) will also be there.
100 % made in Noyon
“They are all very serious judokas, with exemplary behavior,” notes their coach. Anything but anecdotal. “Behavior is an important criterion here. We don’t hesitate to say stop to a kid who doesn’t know how to behave, who poses a problem: we are very happy to obtain results, but we are not ready to do anything for that. The JCN wishes to preserve “the good atmosphere” which reigns on its tatami mats, not all the practitioners being there for the competition. Another detail that pleases the technical director: “None of the four judokas qualified for the French championships are part of the Pôle France or Pôle Espoir”. If the technical director “often encourages kids to join sports study courses”, he is pleased to see that we can “train very good judokas here”. These four qualified, “it’s 100% made in Noyon,” he laughs.
In another age category, in the +70 kg category, Awa Diarra, 13 years old, reigning vice-champion of Picardy and bronze medalist at the Hauts-de-France championships, will also challenge the French elite, in Villebon-sur-Yvette on March 23 for the French Cup. She will prepare for this event with Michel Lebrun and Abdel Bellafkih, the club’s beginners’ coach who will coach her individually before her national meeting.
Multi-cap club
In addition to its judokas, who represent the majority of its licensees, the club has been offering Thai boxing since 2018/2020. With 100 licensees, the section is in full development. Another strong trend for the JCN: MMA. This combat sport, long banned (in competition) in France, currently benefits from very strong media interest. Authorized last year, the discipline is booming. In Noyon, a teacher dedicated to the discipline has been put in place, Yvan Navarro. Jeff Czarmecki supervises Thai boxing.
Finally, the club also offers fitness with around a hundred members.
2024-03-22 15:02:39
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