From Chicago, home of three-time World champion Elisa Au, to Kuwait, where Driss El Mannani coaches, it is a time for resilience and humility. « I was tested positive to Covid19 and I lost friends. It has dramatically changed my outlook on the future », states Driss El Mannani, who is also worried about the athletes who « will not be as before at least until early 2022 ».
Elisa Au, who came back to competition at 39, prefers to be positive. Her body was tired, it has get reset. She loves competing, she will do it one more year. « we have all bad days and, eventually, we will all come out of this. I am looking forward for that day ».
By Ludovic Mauchien / Photos : Kphotos
THEIR MINDSET ?
Elisa Au : « It was good to have this time to reset and recover my body »
« 9 months of no competing, it has changed a lot my daily life. The positive is that my body was getting tired and injuries didn’t stop, so it was good to be able to have this time to reset and just recover my body. On the negative side, I miss training with my teammates, I miss training in a Dojo with a lot of people. Here, in the US, it’s very difficult. The situation is really bad so we do a lot of isolation. I only trained with partners a few times. It has been really difficult ».
Driss El Mannani : « We are all worried »
« 9 months without championships and without continuous training… We are all worried, athletes and coaches alike because we have not been able to do our usual jobs and we don’t know for sure when normal life will come back. We are all worried about our health and that of our families, although at no time have we stopped to think about how not to let it affect us too much ».
THEIR FUTURE ?
Elisa Au : « one year longer, that’s good, because I love competing so much »
« I had attention to end my karate career at the end of the Olympic cycle, or at the World championships that was supposed to be in Dubai. So I has a very definite timeline for how much more I was going to compete.
So, honestly, it makes it one year longer in most reasons, that’s good, because I love competing so much. So giving one more year to prepare and give your best shot at your last championship is nice for me. But I am definitely looking forward to 2021 when we can finish up the Olympics ».
Driss El Mannani : « We won’t be as before at least until early 2022 »
« We are waiting for the next championships and the Tokyo Olympics, even if next year will not be easy because most of the members of the national teams still do not train in a normal way due to the governments’ policies for health and are also missing competitions. We won’t be as before at least until early 2022 ».
HAS THEIR WAY OF LOOKING AT LIFE CHANGED ?
Elisa Au : « My prospective of my future changes dramatically »
« My prospective of my future changes dramatically, since I don’t take for granted opportunity to travel, something I love so much for in and outside a championship. Hopefully, next year, when we get back to somewhat normal things, and able to do normal activities, I am pretty sure that I am not going to take that for granted because this has been a very tough year for everybody. I know most people get down at some point or another, because of the changes.
But, just now, everybody is stick together. We are all dealing with the same hard thing. We have all bad days and, eventually, we will all come out of this. It might not be the exact same way as it was before the pandemic, but we will get back to normal things where we can enjoy the way we used to. I am really looking forward for that day ».
Driss El Mannani : « I was tested positive to Covid19, but I was stronger than it, hahaha ! »
« I was tested positive to Covid19, but I was stronger than it, hahaha! I have lost friends because of the Covid19. In addition, many have found themselves out of work and it has affected many families. Personally, all of this has dramatically changed my outlook on the future. We could never imagine what is happening now. But that does not prevent us from continuing to fight for our goals and to love our loved ones ».
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https://www.karate-k.com/en/sport/news/744-how-do-they-do-da-costa-almost-as-before-alex-recchia-in-the-world-after.html
