September 2021 : Hugo Boucheron

Rower of the Month – September 2021

French sculler, Hugo Boucheron, is the newly crowned Tokyo Olympic Champion, with his double sculls teammate Mattieu Androdias.  Hugo Boucheron, 28, has been rowing since he was just nine years old and tells us about the joy of winning gold in such challenging times.

World Rowing: Congratulations on your Olympic Gold.  Can you tell us about the race?
Hugo Boucheron: It was a stressful race, super hard physically and mentally. We performed a good start, but Matthieu made two technical errors in the first 300 metres. At this point, we had to push and pull even harder and keep our concentration at its maximum level. When it happened, I was thinking “How come?! I can’t believe this is happening during an Olympic final with such strong competitors in front of us”.

The consequence was that in the first quarter of the race, I was extremely tired and I could feel the same pain I usually feel during the last 500 meters of a race. During the second part of the race, I was very competitive and I kept my concentration focused on technique and on someone I like very much.

It was really a beautiful battle as we had to find the right balance between intense concentration, a lot of physical pain to manage, and the stakes of the race of course.

This is how the race went for me! With of course an extra dose of suspense, when in the last 40m I managed to do the exact same mistake Matthieu did at the start of the race and almost made us lose!

WR: What was it like being at the Olympics, especially after the past year?
HB: Taking part in the Olympics is already a huge accomplishment in itself, it’s something incredible in any athlete’s life. But to be honest, it has become an even bigger challenge as the level of competition keeps rising. In Linz (2019 World Rowing Championships), the level of the races was very high with the top boats very close to each other.

As everyone can imagine, the Games are very stressful for everything they represent – this is the absolute competition to win. All the world looks at you and envies you. This year was very special, with an extra layer of complexity and stress due to Covid. We had to adapt and do our best to stay away from the virus. I really want to spare a thought for those athletes that have been isolated, or disqualified because they tested positive for Covid.  When you know the investment it takes to be part of such a competition, that is a very hard thing to happen.

WR: When did you take up rowing and why do you keep doing it?
HB: I began rowing when I was nine years old in Lyon. I continued because I want more! In three years, the Olympics are in France, my country. It is going to be even more special to me. There is a lot of positive enthusiasm in France and I want to be part of it. But we know that nothing is written, there is a roadmap to follow and it is going to be another hard challenge to take. Our competitors are very strong and we don’t underestimate them at all!

WR: How has your training been compared with pre-Covid times?
HB: We trained more than usual at the gym and did a lot of biking because I had a back injury. All year long, Matthew and I had a dedicated weight room in our club in Lyon to minimise the chance to get Covid.

WR: What is your favourite place to train?
HB: There is nothing like training at my club in Lyon. It is the place where I grew up, where I feel at home. There is a strong human warmth, a unique atmosphere connecting everybody, something I can’t really describe but that makes it very special to me.

WR: What is your most memorable race?
HB: Without a doubt, the 2018 World Rowing Championship finals! I never went that far into physical effort; I literally gave everything I had. It was so hard that I was more relieved to finish the race than to win it!

WR: What do you do when you are not rowing?
HB: I have to think about my life after my sporting career. I’m currently thinking about it, but it is not clear yet…

WR: How do you relax or have fun?
HB: I like to spend my time with my friends.

WR: Which sportsperson do you most admire?
HB: Probably Matthieu! He has many flaws but believe me, when this guy has something in mind, his determination has no limits. Nothing can stop him from reaching his objectives and ultimately be successful. He helps me a lot to improve myself in areas where I still need to learn professionally and sportingly.