2023-08-10 16:30:00
ENGAGEMENT – The French muay-thai boxing world champion, Rafaël Llodra, has published the route of his next Freedom Race. For the 7th time since February 2022, the athlete is embarking on an extraordinary event: a 1,000 km journey completed in 30 days, on foot, in order to denounce the political and media system which, in his eyes, would be akin to more and more to a form of totalitarianism since the advent of the health crisis. The fighter, who managed to win the WBC world belt and the WMC intercontinental belt in his career, is trying to raise awareness of his values “autonomy, respect for nature and the living”, “of anarchy” and at “veganism”, according to the interested party. For a year and a half, he has come to Paris from Lourdes, traveled through Corsica and its mountains, toured Brittany to Mont Saint-Michel, traveled from the Vermeille coast to the Côte d’Azur. On August 26, Rafaël Llodra will leave this time from the town of Hendaye, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, the region which saw him grow up. This Freedom Race, called the “Pyrenaica” aims to end on September 23 in Bordeaux, in Gironde. Watch again our report on the first edition of the Freedom Race, in 2022. (Read the interview with Rafaël Llodra below the video)
Citizens wishing to participate in the event are an integral part of the adventure. The sportsman sleeps with the locals sharing his convictions, some bring back dishes, drinks at certain stages. Others run with him, as much as they can, some endurance enthusiasts, try to cover forty kilometers daily to reach each stage. Since the first edition, more and more people have followed the adventures of Rafaël Llodra and are present to welcome him at the end of each course.
Interview
Romain Pauc, for France-Evening : The causes you defend with these Freedom Races have evolved over the years. Can you detail them for us today?
Rafael Llodra: This race was born in reaction to the totalitarian and liberticidal measures that we have suffered in recent years. During the first edition (February 2022) some were still active and the message was simple: our bodies and our lives belong to us, we go where we want when we want without being muzzled or injected. Today the conditions and the motivations have evolved, I transmit with the races my values of autonomy, respect for nature and the living, anarchism (which is, I remind you, nothing other than the fact of governing oneself ourselves in a horizontal and complementary relationship between each) and veganism; creates a bond and founds a large family across the whole of France. The Freedom Race is a human adventure and a celebration of life.
Do you feel a civic fervor that has been developing since the first edition?
The people I have met since the first edition have convinced me that my action has a scope and a usefulness, however limited and relative they may be, with changes and inspirations brought by the race and my example in their lives. During the 5th, in March 2023, in particular, the welcome we received was incredible, with people genuinely happy to receive us, involved and interested in my values and those of the Race. When I announced the next one, we were quickly contacted to receive help and accommodation. This is encouraging and shows that many wish to evolve and achieve a better world.
How was the last race? And what challenge and evolution does this race bring you on a human level already, and on an athletic level?
The last edition (6ᵉ, June 2023) was particularly difficult, because I left seriously injured, and was not always accompanied, but was ultimately very good. I was able to recover gradually thanks to my knowledge of life (diet, fasting, breathing, stretching), my will and the care received. And, during the absence of my brother (his brother, editor’s note), I had the means to continue the adventure with the help of the hosts or people I met on the course, to move my belongings and take the images at the departures and arrivals, while I was doing the stages independently.
Giving, sharing and solidarity are obviously the primary values of the Race. The courage and tenacity of mine and of any champion, I think. The challenge and the challenge are to embark on a journey of four weeks and almost 1,000 km with very few means and sometimes very harsh conditions, counting therefore on the participation and the help that we will receive from the inhabitants throughout. . Although I am not an expert in the discipline. But I remind you that I am in no way performing a sporting achievement (except personal): I am light years away from the top level in this area, see Kilian Jornet (Spanish professional athlete specializing in ultra-trail, editor’s note) , it is rather an idealistic and committed adventure.
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