The pain of his loved ones and of all French judo is immense, as Cyril Pagès was so appreciated. A true national figure of judo, originally from Monts, he left us this week. “He was recognized but not only on the technical level, also on the human level. He was focused on others, committed to the well-being of athletes”testifies Laurent Diès, regional technical director at the Centre-Val de Loire League.
Cyril Pagès started judo at AS Monts, in Indre-et-Loire, before joining the UJ37 (today UJTM), a group of the best judokas in the department, then the France pole in Poitiers. “He had a rich sporting career, an excellent level, since he won national medals,” before turning to coaching. “It was really his thing, thinking, supporting athletes…” continues Laurent Diès.
Coach at the Paralympic Games this summer
Coach at the Nantes youth center, then at the French women’s center in Orléans, he joined the French para-judo team after the 2012 Olympic Games. He was alongside the athletes (Sandrine Martinet, Cyril Jonard, etc.) this summer in Paris, where France won four Paralympic medals.
“It was a UFO in our midst. He had his way of doing things, sometimes being harsh but fair and deeply human. He was very popular, he was a personality in the world of judo,” underlines Laurent Diès.
Beyond this martial art to which he had devoted his life, Cyril Pagès was also “a great adventurer, a lover of travel, particularly in Africa, says the DTR. He was also a photography enthusiast and shared his travel photos on social media. » Installed near Orléans, he also remained “very attached to Touraine and its heritage”.
