The forgotten medalists of Paris 2024 - Djamili Aboudou, local recognition

Since his defeat against the Spaniard Ayoub Ghadfa Drissi in the semi-finals of the +92 kg at the Olympic Games, on the Philippe-Chatrier court at Roland-Garros, on August 7, 2024, which nevertheless earned him a bronze medal , Djamili Aboudou has not had the opportunity to make headlines again. The two other boxing medalists, Olympic vice-champions Billal Bennama (-51 kg) and Sofiane Oumiha (-63.5 kg), have also been very discreet. "After a very busy year preparing for the Games," explains Aboudou (29 years old), "I preferred to take some rest and have an operation."

In early April in Paris, the Dunkirk native underwent arthroscopy of his left elbow under local anesthesia. "We had to remove the pieces of cartilage and bone that had been causing me pain for a year and a half," he explains. "I underwent rehabilitation for four weeks at the INSEP. I only went home on weekends. If I had had the operation before the Games, it would have delayed my preparation. For the Olympic qualifying tournament in March 2024, I had to have an injection. But, during the Games, it didn't bother me."

“I approached Nike and Adidas for equipment, but I got nothing.”

Lacking an offer to turn professional, he will continue in Olympic boxing (formerly amateur boxing). However, he will not compete in the World Championships from September 4 to 14 in Liverpool (England). "I'm not ready," he admits. "The ideal would be for me to box in a small gala in November or December, before joining the French national team. I started training again this Wednesday in Annecy with the French youth teams, until August 16, then I'll continue with another in Bulgaria."

Aboudou, who has returned to his job as an organizer for the Coudekerque municipality - "I did small actions in schools, I talk to children about the Games" - was unable to convince a sponsor... "I thought my medal would help me," he regrets. "I approached Nike, Adidas, for equipment, but I got nothing. I'm staying with my sponsor, SIA Habitat, who joined me a month and a half before the Games." However, he is not bitter: "The medal didn't really change my life, but I received recognition from my city, Coudekerque. It will remain etched in my memory forever, but it didn't take on as much importance as I thought. In September 2024, I still kicked off Lyon-Marseille, in Ligue 1. Basketball also put me in the spotlight."

His greatest happiness came on December 31st, when his wife, who had already given him a little girl, welcomed another into the world. “This time, I was able to enjoy it. In July, we all went on vacation to Morocco. For the first one, between her birth in 2021 and the Games, I had seen her for six months at most. I was constantly traveling with the French team.” Even though Aboudou (1.81 m, 109 kg) is the height of Mike Tyson, he is very small for his weight class. “I could go down to -92 kg, but that’s not one of my goals. In 2028 in Los Angeles, I want to do even better, to show that my bronze medal wasn’t luck, but hard work.”