“Mark my story and mark the history of the struggle”

Each week, Théo Curin embarks, in his taxi, champions linked to the Paris Games 2024. Travel here, in the company of the wrestler Koumba Larroque, who aims for a medal to catch up with Tokyo.

Tomorrow games is a meeting in partnership with France 3, as part of the program At games, citizens! The vice-champion of the world of paranatation, Théo Curin, becomes theo the taxi, and embarks in his car A personality or a champion, in connection with the 2024 Paris Games. Here, the wrestler Koumba Larroque. An experience that Théo Curin tells of Fabrice Rigobert.

Franceinfo: Koumba Larroque is little known to the general public, and practices one of the oldest disciplines: the fight?

Théo Curin : Yes, it is an athlete little known to the general public, but who is gaining in being known. Koumba is only 25 years old. She was a bronze medalist at the European championships in 2017, but also to the world championships, the same year. Junior world champion in 2018, she was also the same year vice-champion of the senior world. A lost final, during which she injured a knee. This year, Koumba won the bronze medal at the European Championships and the world championships.

So she qualified for the 2024 Paris Games?

Yes, and it became his big goal. Her journey is almost incredible when you know how she started. She told me: “Completely by chance. But two big brothers were fighting and, one day, I left to recover them in training with my mother. I immediately hung on with this sport, even if there were only boys. But I beat them all!”

She likes to fight against boys. For what ?

I find it completely crazy. This forces him to surpass himself so that his technique prevails. It also makes it a point of honor to defend the place of women in sport, and in particular its: “How many times I have heard that the struggle remained a sport of boys. We also have a lot of contrast between the fact that I am very feminine and that I am fighting. In reality, I do not see why it would be paradoxical. All women are capable of a lot of things. It takes ambition, determination and courage.”

You took Koumba with your car to the Grand Palais ephemeral, near the Eiffel Tower, on the Champ-de-Mars. This is where she will participate in the wrestling events for games?

Exactly. Koumba dreams of Olympic gold and, secretly, wants to take revenge on the Tokyo Games, where she was eliminated in the first round, after having led throughout the fight. Koumba wants to win in front of his friends and all his family in Paris: “Mark my story and mark the story of the struggle. Simply a beautiful gold medal, I hope.”

What made you most marked in this meeting with Koumba Larroque?

You know, sometimes, I receive in the taxi athletes that I already know, which I have crossed. There, it was a first, for her as for me, and it was just great. I like her simplicity, her smile, her enthusiasm, and especially the fight she leads to a daily basis, to progress and to defend her sport in the female.