Four HEC graduates describe their journey as high-level athletes and their involvement in the selections for the Olympic Games.

judo

Madeleine Malonga (Coach HEC.23)

“In the realm of judo, despite intense competition in my weight category (under 78 kg), everything happened quickly for me: I started young, at 8 years old, and by 16 I was already at the INSEP (the French National Institute of Sport). That same year, in 2013, I won my first Junior European Championship title and from there, everything unfolded… Balancing my studies alongside my athletic career proved challenging. I enrolled in a nursing school but had to extend my studies due to my rigorous training schedule. I completed my first year over two years. I had to pause during my second year to prepare for the Olympics.

After two gap years, I missed studying and opted for remote learning to become a mental preparation coach, which was more compatible with my schedule. This training significantly helped me in managing stress and emotions, propelling me to the top of the world rankings in 2019, 2020, and 2021. I earned a silver medal individually in 2021, as well as a team title. Following this success, I joined HEC for a one-year executive coaching program, attending classes three days per month. Currently, I am fully dedicated to sports, representing France in my category at the Paris 2024 Olympics! However, next autumn, I plan to resume studying with an Executive Master in coaching, a field that deeply interests me. While the federation covers my competition travel expenses, I am actively seeking sponsors—hint, hint!”

athletics

Patrice Esele Sasa (H.26)

“I started athletics relatively late, during my final year of high school. Within a few months, I achieved results that ranked me among the top ten athletes in my category in France. The following year, I reached national level by winning my first medals at the French championships. With this success, I earned a scholarship that allowed me to attend a university in Indiana, USA. However, I had to return to France after sustaining an injury just one year into my studies there. I then joined the Dauphine Talents program. It took me some time to regain my athletic form, but I still managed to place in the top five at the French university championships and won a relay medal at the French championships.

After completing the first year of a Master’s degree, I left the institution to focus on sports and competitive exams to enter a top school. I successfully ranked among the top ten athletes in France across all categories and was admitted to HEC last August. I now have a specific schedule because I live two hours away from campus, closer to my training stadium. Therefore, I have classes only two days a week, allowing me to follow a weekly training program of 20 to 25 hours, with increasingly technical sessions in pursuit of my goal: qualifying for the 2024 Olympic Games!”

judo

Nicolas Biffot (H.26)

“My experience as an athlete and student quickly made me realize how challenging it is to excel both in academics and judo. When I joined the French judo team after completing high school, I was the only judoka to have earned a scientific baccalaureate, and with honors at that. And I joined the Paris Dauphine Talents program at 18, being the only one in the team still pursuing academic studies… Subsequently, I had to pause my athletic career to focus on direct admissions to business schools. Upon joining HEC Paris in September 2023, I immediately reached out to Jérôme Flammier, the founder of the program for high-level athletes, as my goal as a judoka is to rejoin the French team and qualify for the 2028 Olympic Games.

I now have classes only two days a week and will complete the first year of my master’s degree in December, after which I plan to take a gap year to fully devote myself to judo training and return to elite competition. Currently, I do not have a sponsor and fund my training with my own resources, which is why I actively promote myself, particularly on LinkedIn, to secure fundings.”

steeple

Rémi Schyns (H.24)

« I was born in Belgium and became heavily involved in athletics during my high school years in Liège. At 17 years old, I participated in my first international championship, the U18 European Championship, and won a bronze medal. It quickly became clear that continuing my studies in Belgium would be impractical if I wanted to continue competing. I received a scholarship to attend a university in Kentucky, USA, where I earned a Bachelor’s degree in International Business and Supply Chain. I fully embraced the American system, which provides flexibility, support, and resources for student-athletes.

In 2021, I returned to France to attend HEC, where I completed my Master 1 year while training on and around campus. I then took a professional gap year to complete internships in the corporate sector, and am currently on another gap year to focus on athletics and my discipline, steeplechase, which aligns perfectly with the 2024 Olympic Games and European Championships! I secured fundings from my region in Belgium, as well as a French club with which I signed a contract, and various private sponsors. I train between Belgium, Toulouse, and other locations where we have training camps, but I will be back on campus next year, as I have been admitted to study Finance for my Master 2. »

 

Interviews by Juliette Le Lorier

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