Among the 23 selected from the Azure Coast is the judoka Sofiane Milous. Dressed all in white with a black belt, he is ready to topple his opponents on the London tatami. He will attempt to honor his status as the favorite.
Weighing in at 60kg, he may not have the stature of a Teddy Riner. Nevertheless, he is driven by the same passion: judo. Recent to the senior circuit, his track record is already impressive.
Sofiane came into the public eye in 2010. At the European Championships in Vienna (Austria), he defeated the reigning world champion, Ukrainian Georgiy Zantaraya, and Italy’s Elio Verde (bronze medalist at the 2009 World Championships) by ippon. A fine performance that propelled him to the top rank on the continent. Pleased, he didn’t stop there: the OJN athlete is also a triple French champion and a World Cup runner-up.
However, the Azurian is also noted for his lack of dedication. He was sanctioned by the French Judo Federation for “lack of commitment in training, detrimental to high-level performance.” Despite everything, he continues to move forward: “There was a sanction, it must be accepted, and I accept it. Now I am fully focused on the Games. I’m going to use the next three months to put in the volume work, something I haven’t been able to do since 2010 because of injuries and tournaments where points had to be earned.”
Passionate, committed, and determined, Sofiane Milous intends to bounce back at the right time. Despite this suspension, Stéphane Auduc’s protégé remains among the top eight seeds. Among the favorites, his goal is clear: to defeat all his opponents. The event will begin on July 28.
