Shirine Boukli on Burnout, Pressure and Finding Joy on the Tatami Again

Shirine Boukli is one of Europe’s most accomplished judoka, but her latest JudoPod appearance shows a side of elite sport that medals do not always capture. The Olympic bronze medallist, world silver medallist and five-time European champion opened up about the mindset that drives her in competition, the burnout that shook her after the Olympic Games and the way she rebuilt her connection to judo.

To many fans, Boukli projects energy, confidence and style. On the tatami, though, she says a very different version of herself takes over. In the interview, she explains how years of high-level competition helped her develop an “alter ego” for fighting, using constant self-talk before and during contests to stay sharp and bring out the aggression required at the top level.

That competitive edge did not appear overnight. Boukli traces it back to childhood sessions with her father, where she pushed hard to prove herself. Those early experiences helped shape a mentality that still defines her today: losing is painful, but staying stuck in it serves no purpose.

The most striking part of her story is what happened after the Olympic Games. Boukli describes a period when both body and mind were struggling. Training no longer felt meaningful, motivation faded and she began questioning her place on the tatami.

Instead of forcing herself deeper into that state, she stepped away from the elite routine. She returned to a beginner’s mindset through Brazilian jiu-jitsu, training with teenagers at a regional centre and working without the weight of expectations. That reset helped her recover something she felt she had lost: the pleasure of learning and simply enjoying sport again.

Boukli’s story is not only about medals, but about getting her spark back.

That renewed perspective was tested during her run to a fifth European title. In a demanding golden score final, Boukli stayed committed to her tactical plan, managed the gripping exchanges and refused to drift from her strategy. The win came through penalties, not through the kind of throwing finish many dream of.

What makes the moment revealing is her reaction. Even after matching the French record with five European titles, Boukli left frustrated rather than fully satisfied. Her standards go beyond the result alone. For her, the manner of victory matters too, a detail that says a lot about the perfectionism she continues to wrestle with.

Outside competition, Boukli is clearly building more than a judo career. Just one day after returning from the European Championships, she completed her degree in international management. She also continues to explore interests in fashion and beauty, showing how different parts of her personality can coexist alongside the intensity of elite combat sport.

Her discipline also shapes her training during Ramadan. While fasting, she continues to work twice a day, balancing nutrition, recovery and performance as carefully as possible.

Even at the top, Boukli insists sport should still feel like play.

Across the full conversation, Boukli’s central message is simple and powerful. Success, pressure and expectations can easily take over an athlete’s life, but lasting performance depends on remembering why the journey started in the first place. In her case, rediscovering that joy may have been just as important as any medal.

Source: IJF.org

Image source: IJF / International Judo Federation