alpinisto's blog

I had known kimmetje for more than four years, but various reasons had impeded us from meeting earlier. But towards the end of 2021 I suddenly saw an opening, as Kim intended to spend some days in Paris, and thus I could just take a flight down there and we could share not only the B&B he had organised but also meet some of the many strong French wrestlers around there. And as I had no plans the last weekend before Christmas this became the time when we finally got to meet.

Actually it was the plan that I should have my first match on the Thursday of my arrival, but because of the problems finding the way through the Gare du Nord maze it then was too late, so the match was postponed until the following morning. Fabrice was the name of the strong fighter I met on Friday morning, and not only did he have experience in wrestling but also in Judo and bjj, which I didn’t have practised before. But he tapered down to my ability, as I still had to take care of my knees which had had surgeries in 2019 and 2021. And we had five rounds, which initially had me down on the floor in seconds, but slowly I could do better during the rounds, my weakness a result of the five months I had not been wrestling since July. However, this didn’t worry me, as I was only happy to be able to wrestle again!

Of course Kim also had a few private matches while we were in Paris, but I left those to him, as those guys maybe were even stronger than the guys I was to wrestle. So the next guy in line for me was somebody we both should wrestle, as he had asked for a 2-vs-1 match with Kim and I, a style which I had no experience with. Thus all I did was to make sure that I could keep him in a tight hold and then leave it to Kim to do what had to be done, and this I seemed to succeed pretty well in, as when I could feel that he was trying to break free I tensed my muscles and he no longer would be able to free himself. While when he tapped I could loosen my holds a bit. And we both seemed to feel good with this arrangement.

After that fight there was time for a quick match with Kim, as this I found was the least I could do, now he had invited me to spend a few days with him in Paris. And slowly I got the feeling that I can have much enjoyment in wrestling once my surgeries are completely healed and corona is a thing of the past so I can return to former fitness. And maybe returning to wrestling every month like before corona.

The next day Kim returned home to Brussels, but as I had a few more guys I’d like to wrestle I had booked an extra night in a nearby hotel - but I was disappointed to find that my first opponent that day had to sign off, as he had been a too close encounter with a working colleague who later had been tested covid positive. Which I was unhappy with, for especially that guy I had been looking forward to wrestle. So it seems that I will have to return to Paris again after corona.

But the last guy came on time, and this was Laurent. He was the only opponent I had wrestled previously, which was back in 2018 when I last time had been in Paris, and like most of the other opponents I then had wrestled I had much respect for him, especially when he now came on me like a bull. But probably it was good that I had been wrestling the previous days, as I had a feeling that I could alleviate many of his attacks. None of us tapped or wanted to give in freely, so it was a good long wrestle we had - and sheding a lot of sweat doing so. Thus a good finish of this visit to Paris!