PROFILES

When we met him in 1997, Christophe Pinna, then 29, had won more karate titles than anyone of his generation. The all-categories world champion, winner of the most prestigious medals, had just one regret: “That karate isn’t an Olympic discipline.” Twenty years later we find him on the mat in his Nice dojo, having donned his uniform to attempt to make a life-long dream come true by qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. “Like other athletes of my generation, I campaigned hard for karate to become an Olympic discipline, so when I heard in August 2016 that it at last was, I couldn’t see myself watching the Games on TV and wondering if I was good enough. If there was the slightest chance of me competing, I had to try for it!” A month later he started training again, after a 17-year break during which he coached the Greek national team, the French junior team and the American team, was sports teacher for TV channel TF1’s Star Academy for four years, then joined Nice’s mayoral team before launching his Capacity sport and therapy programme for retirement homes. Ranked 27 millionth worldwide when we interviewed him in July, this born competitor isn’t one to get discouraged and by November had already moved up to 141st place. “Deciding to compete again means accepting the constraints and exhaustion, accepting to push my limits, forgetting I had a past in this sport, preparing to lose and forgetting I’ve been the best.” Physically the path ahead is still a long one but mentally Pinna is more determined than ever. “I’m not seeking to prove anything, I just want to be true to myself. If I’m not selected, it doesn’t matter,,I’ll go to Tokyo as a spectator. My present goal is that of a man who has challenged himself, not of a karateka wanting to show he’s the best.” See you in2020, Christophe!