Amandine Buchard was one of six elite-level French athletes who publicly came out for Pride Month. And now, the Judo star is an Olympic medalist.
Buchard took home the silver medal Sunday in the half lightweight event, losing the final to Ute Aba of Japan. Buchard, a two-time bronze medalist at the World Judo Championships, was dominant on her way to the gold medal match.
It took her just 16 seconds to defeat Switzerland’s Fabienne Kocher in their seminal bout. Buchard won her previous two
Earlier this year, Buchard won the gold medal in her event at the 2021 Judo World Masters in Doha, Qatar. She was one of the favorites in her weight class heading into the Games.
Buchard’s coming out was part of the documentary “We Need to Talk,” broadcast on the Canal+ channel. Three of the athletes featured — basketball player Céline Dumerc, fencer Astrid Guyart and Buchard — are competing in Tokyo.
In the film, Buchard says she hasn’t spoken to her mother since coming out three years ago. Nonetheless, she urges other closeted individuals to live their truth.
“I am good in my life, I am good in my sport, I accept myself,” Buchard says.
Those are wise words to follow. In a celebratory Facebook post, Bouchard said she’s already preparing for Paris 2024.
“A great adventure ending for me in Tokyo,” she wrote. “I already have in perspective of writing a much more beautiful new story in Paris in 3 years.”
