Antoine Dewaele obtained his black belt even though he stopped judo at the age of 14. He is the pride of Margaux and Arsène, his children, and of the club judo from Breteuil-sur-Noye.
The Breteuil Judo Club has had a new black belt for several days in the person of Antoine Dewaele.
This farmer from Rouvroy-les-Merles took up judo last season, at age 37. A recovery due in large part to his children, Margaux and Arsène, aged 11 and 7 respectively.
“Dad, you should get back into judo”
“When I took them to judo they told me “dad, you need to get back into it” ” he confides.
In fact, Antoine started judo at 6 years old. A good memory.
But he had to stop the discipline at the age of 14, because of a knee problem and his studies at a boarding school. He was then a brown belt.
The insistence of his children convinces him to get back on the tatami. He also has the support of the teacher of the local club, Eric Cauvel, the same one who made him take the tests for the brown belt in 2000.
He resumes judo in September
“I started again in September. I have lost a little flexibility but judo allows me to work my back, it is also good for my job” smiles the judoka.
From then on, the thirty-year-old underwent diligent training for a year to prepare for the exam. An examination in four stages: the competition, the kata (coded sequence of movements), the technical value unit and the referee value unit.
“There were two of us getting the black belt and the 14 year old had to lift me, he weighed 50 kilos and I weighed 80, it was quite funny”.`
He joins his two sisters who are already black belts
With his new belt, Antoine is now the equal of his two sisters who reached the Grail several years ago.
Above all, he makes Margaux and Arsène proud.
As for the club’s second judoka in the running for the black belt, Eric Cauvel is confident. “Théo Drouet could potentially be next with the technical exam passed and 30 points scored.”
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