Between the French senior first division championships, where the club has fifteen qualifiers, and this real "round of 16", a few days later, in the Judo Pro League against US Orléans (its quarter-final tormentor last year), the end of the year promises to be boiling hot for Montpellier Judo Olympic. Much to the delight of Christel Lavaud, the club's hyperactive president, who is justifiably proud of her club's achievements. "We've always nurtured the desire to offer high-level training in our Priority Urban District of Celleneuve-Mosson, and we've taken the plunge in the wake of Jolan Florimont, who started with us at the age of six and with whom we've all come to know. The poor fellow paid the price for our amateurism at the start, but I know he's happy today to see how the structure has developed, with now five teachers under the leadership of our technical director Arthur Combeau, all doing a fantastic job.This has enabled us to make our mark with many athletes who have trained with us or in the region. We're not necessarily the strongest, but thanks to our hard work and cohesion, we exist among the best clubs in the country." 

 

 

Judo Pro League as a booster 

 

Among the key elements in this irresistible rise to the top, participation from the very first season in this innovative mixed team competition devised by France Judo ranks very highly. "By jumping on the Judo Pro League bandwagon four years ago now, we were able to capitalize on all the efforts made with our athletes, with a dynamic whose importance was quickly understood by the local authorities and our partners, who were quick to play along with us. This is no mean feat in an athletic town like ours, and this collective impetus enables us to move forward, to see far ahead and to believe in our ambitions.And you can feel it on the mat, where everyone wants to go the extra mile for the team. While the aim is clearly to return to the quarter-finals, a first appearance in the Final Four on May 16 would be yet another milestone for the Hérault-based club, who are determined not to stop there.