Double gold medallist Teddy Riner walked up to the mat with judokas of Lycee Voltaire looking up at him, the giant of a man that he is at 6 feet 8 inches.
As part of a demonstration, in one swift move, Riner brought down the teacher flat on the mat. Students gasped, particularly one judoka who was to be a part of the next demonstration with Riner.
This time, though, it was Riner’s turn to go down, and there was applause all around the sports hall of the Salwa Road branch of the French-Qatari school.
“Unfortunately, I never had such an opportunity to interact with sports stars, Olympians. It is a pity, because I wish we had more opportunities like this. These are experiences of a lifetime,” French boxer Sarah Ourahmoune, who won silver at the Rio Olympics earlier this year, told Gulf Times.
Riner and Ourahmoune, along with fellow French athletes, basketball player Emmeline Ndongue and Paralympic swimmer David Smetanine are in Doha as part of the Paris 2024 Olympic Bid delegation for the Association of the National Olympic Committees (ANOC) General Assembly.
As part of the ‘Year of Olympism in School’ programme in France, the athletes, along with other members of the delegation, including the sports director of the Bid and table tennis double Olympic medallist Jean-Philippe Gatien, interacted with students of the two French schools – French-Qatari Lycee Voltaire and French Lycée Bonaparte – in Doha yesterday.
After a quick game with a couple of students, Gatien had a word of advice: “Becoming a world champion is a very different ball game. It’s a very complicated exercise. But looking at your efforts, I am sure you have great champions among your crew.”
Being part of the project means a lot to these athletes. Like Riner, who won in London and Rio in the 100kg+ category, and is an eight-time world champion, put it: “This is a big day for the French people, for the candidature of Paris 2024. I think it is very important that young people in the school, meet French athletes and get inspired.”
Ourahmoune added: “It is a very great moment for me, I am proud to be part of this project. This moment is important to project the best of Paris for the bid.”
Asked what sets Paris apart from the other candidate cities, Riner spoke about what a “beautiful” world city the French capital is, while Ourahmoune said: “All the facilities, whether it is the residence of the athletes or the sporting venues, they will be at the heart of the city.”
The French athletes also had Qatar’s two Paralympic athletes for company at the event.
Abdulrahman Abdulqader, Rio Paralympic Games silver medallist in javelin, and Qatar’s first female Olympic medallist, Sarah Masoud, who won silver in Rio in shot put, interacted with the French athletes and kids.
“It’s great to encourage more students to take up sport. If they take up sport at a young age, everyone has the potential to become big players in the future. And even compete at an Olympic Games. One day, for all you know, Qatar might host the Olympics,” Abdulqader said.
What unfolded right in front of their eyes, was perhaps a visual of them meeting, inspiring and encouraging kids across Qatar for a shot at the Olympics.