French judo has never lacked champions. From the legendary Teddy Riner to the new wave of talents like Joan Gaba, who already boasts a world title and Olympic medal, the tricolour continues to shine on the world stage. Among this emerging generation, one name has consistently stood out: Romain Valadier Picard. Still only 23, he already owns a world silver medal, earned earlier this year in Budapest, and is being hailed as one of France’s brightest hopes for future Olympic glory.
For those who have followed his career, Romain’s rise feels like the logical continuation of a journey that began in his cadet years. Six years ago, at just 16, he claimed the Cadet European Championship title in Warsaw, a victory that gave him the confidence to aim much higher. “That day in Warsaw was a really great day,” he recalled. “It showed me that I was capable of reaching the highest level. It was the first step, but an essential one to aim much higher.”
Already as a teenager, Romain was training at INSEP alongside France’s senior elite, including Luka Mkheidze and Cédric Revol. That environment fuelled his ambitions but he never saw his progression as sudden or surprising. “Every medal I have won wasn’t a surprise: I got them because I was capable and had developed the skills for it. Even the failures were logical. At my first world championships in Tashkent, I was still a junior. I simply didn’t yet have what it took to perform at that level.”
Logic, Discipline, and Engineering
The word “logic” comes up often in Romain’s reflections. Off the tatami, he studies engineering, a discipline that mirrors his own approach to judo and life. “I like things to be organised. Nothing is left to chance, everything is built. I always organise my weeks, my schedule, my calendar. I like to understand in order to do, to understand the logic of a movement, but also in life in general.”
Yet judo is famously unpredictable, a sport where one mistake can end a bout instantly. Romain admits that the logical framework must eventually give way to instinct. “Judo is anything but logical. You need to give your best and let your instinct speak. I focus on simple, almost obvious details: taking a sleeve, grabbing a lapel. From that base, I adapt my judo in real time to solve the problem in front of me.”
A Relentless Worker
Behind his steady progression lies relentless discipline. Romain plans his training in detail, and every session is directed towards improvement. “I am extremely disciplined and very hard-working. I like this discipline of high-level sport; it represents me well,” he said.
His development has been shaped by a team of coaches who added their own touches along the way: Stéphane Frémont with the French team, Romain Poussin at ACBB Judo, and others including Mehdi Kaldoun, Yacine Douma, and Richard Melillo. “And of course the foundation: all my childhood coaches,” he added with a thankful smile.
From Injury to Podium
Like every athlete, he has faced setbacks. After winning gold at a Grand Slam earlier this season, Romain suffered a serious knee injury during the training camp in Paris. Surgery and three months of rehabilitation followed. His return came not at a glamorous Grand Slam but at a modest European Cup in Sarajevo, a calculated step to rebuild confidence before Budapest. “Sarajevo was about getting back into it: regaining competition feelings, readapting to the pace, and arriving ready and confident on the big day.”
The preparation paid off: in Budapest, Romain battled his way to the final and secured world silver after winning the Grand Slam in Paris, perhaps not such a surprise. “For the last two years, I felt capable of it. That medal in Budapest confirmed that I can take on the very best.”
Beyond the Tatami
Celebrating that medal was just as important as winning it. “A world medal is a real endpoint. You have to celebrate, especially with friends and family. Winning is great but a medal only has value if the people around you are happy with you.” After Budapest, he took time off before joining training camps in Japan and Spain to refine his skills.
Away from judo, Romain values his friendships within the sport. His closest circle includes Driss Masson Jbilou, Arnaud Aregba, and Kenny Liveze, but he’s also part of a larger collective of young French talents: Joan Gaba, Maxime Ngayap, Maxime Gobert. “It’s a collective you will be hearing about very soon,” he said.
The Road Ahead
Missing the Paris 2024 Olympic Games was a bitter disappointment. Competing at home was a dream, and the setback only sharpens his motivation. “Now that I have a world medal, the goal is the world title, then an Olympic medal in Los Angeles. Missing Paris was hard, but that’s sport. The aim now is not to miss the next Olympics.”
For Romain Valadier Picard, the journey continues with the same blend of logic, discipline, and instinct that has carried him from cadet champion to world silver medallist. With France’s new generation rising and the next Olympic cycle already in motion, he is determined to prove that a new story has just started.
Author: Hans Van Essen
Author: EJU Media