Marie Branser was born 15 August 1992 in Leipzig, Germany. She is in the -78kg weight category in Judo. At the German National Judo Championships, Branser was a formidable opponent, winning one silver and three bronze medals. However, despite her success, she never had the opportunity to represent Germany at the senior international level.
In 2019, Branser made a life-changing decision, changing her nationality to Congolese and qualifying for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games. Despite the move, she continues to reside and train in Leipzig, Germany, as she began representing the Democratic Republic of Congo at international competitions.
In 2020, Branser’s dedication and hard work paid off when she clinched the gold medal in the women’s -78kg event at the 2020 African Judo Championships, held in Antananarivo, Madagascar. It was a proud moment for her and her country.
Branser once again displayed her exceptional skills the following year, retaining her championship title by winning the women’s -78kg event at the 2021 African Judo Championships held in Dakar, Senegal.
However, in 2022, Branser decided to switch her nationality once again, this time to Guinea. She cited the Congolese Judo Federation’s inactivity and negligence since the Olympics as the reason for her decision. Branser made her debut for Guinea at the 2022 African Open in Dakar, and it was a triumphant one, as she emerged victorious in her category, showcasing her talents and tenacity once again.
1. Can you introduce yourself? Please tell us your name, age, place of origin, and the country you represent.
My name is Marie Branser, and I am 30 years old. I was born and raised in Leipzig, Germany. I proudly represent Guinea in Judo.
2. What motivated you to start practising Judo, and when did you begin?
When I was five years old, my mother introduced me to gymnastics, as it was her own chosen sport. Although it was a great foundation for building my athletic abilities, I discovered that gymnastics was something other than my passion. However, my love for sports continued to grow as I enjoyed playing football with my friends, riding my bike, running, and swimming in my free time.
Throughout my childhood, I was always a defender of those who were mistreated by others, even if it meant putting myself in danger. Luckily, I was known as one of the fastest girls in my school, allowing me to run away from danger if necessary.
When I turned eight years old, my mother found an invitation for a trial training session in judo, and that’s when I fell in love with the sport. From ages 8 to 11, I continued to do both gymnastics and judo, competing on many weekends, sometimes even with two competitions in one weekend. Eventually, my mother asked me to decide which sport I wanted to pursue, and it was an easy decision – Judo!
3. Could you describe your first international competition experience?
As a child, I believe I participated in some international competitions, but nothing “official.” However, my first international tournament with the cadet national team was held in Tver, Russia. The competition venue was an ice hockey rink, with the tatami mats laid directly on the ice. The temperature was extremely cold, and I was feeling very nervous. Unfortunately, I did not win a medal, and I believe that at the time, I had too much respect for the level of competition, which resulted in me not performing at my best. Nevertheless, it was a great experience for me to represent my country in another nation.
4. How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected you, both personally and in your Judo career?
The COVID-19 pandemic was an incredibly challenging time for me. I was in Pan America when the IJF decided to cancel all competitions. I had just won the Pan American Open in Bariloche, Argentina and was on my way to Chile when I found out that everything had been cancelled, including the competition in Chile. For a week, I trained there without a coach or anyone else who had travelled with me.
The flight I took back to Germany was the last one that was allowed before everything was closed. Two days after arriving back in Germany, the lockdown was officially announced, and a few days later, the Olympic games were postponed. It was a hard time. Every day until the games were already planned, and every day was focused on my big goal – the Olympic games in Tokyo.
Going from having a plan for every day to living with no structure and not knowing what tomorrow would bring was quite challenging for me. I couldn’t work, and for the first few weeks, we were not allowed to train. After a few weeks, I was allowed to go to the gym or train outside because I am a high-level athlete, but only with my coach and without any contact. It was mentally challenging.
I doubted myself a lot and sometimes questioned why I was still training. But I never stopped. Of course, I had to adjust my training methods, but this time really made me stronger and helped me see things more openly. It’s a privilege to do this sport at such a high level and to travel around the world. It’s such a blessing to have people who are still there for you, even in times like this. And everything is possible. There are no limits – only in our minds. These are the things I learned during this time.
Being isolated from friends and family was not always easy, so I was grateful for not being alone during this time. I was afraid at first and always protected myself. Life was slower, and it was the first time I thought about who I am beyond judo. Who is Marie Branser as a person, not just as a judo player?
What will come after judo – who do I want to become? I worked on myself, on the weak areas of my training that I never had time for, and adapted my training with my coach to the conditions under which we were allowed to train. So it was just my coach and me – nearly until Tokyo 2021 – and this was a really great time for me to progress! So even though it was such a difficult time, it also helped me grow in sport and in my personal life.
5. You represented the Democratic Republic of Congo in the previous Olympic cycle, and now you’re representing Guinea for the current one. Could you share more about this transition?
Since 2019, I have represented the DRC in Judo, even though I was no longer part of the German national or regional team due to certain political decisions. Although I always won medals in the nationals, my regional federation claimed that I was too old. I trained in Paris for six months, where I made significant progress. My French coach presented me with two options: quit Judo or switch nations.
However, I didn’t feel like giving up yet. So, I decided to switch and approached the DRC to accept me on their team. My grandparents had worked there for a while. The DRC accepted my request, and I became the first-ever judo player in the country’s history to win the African senior champion title, which I won twice. I was also the first female judo player to represent the DRC in the Olympic Games. It was an amazing experience, and I was proud that so many people saw me as a role model.
However, there were too many problems in the DRC, including corruption and empty promises. I became a victim of politics. The judo president elections were repeatedly postponed, and the interim president was only interested in money, not the sport. I didn’t accept this, so he blocked me from participating in any tournament after the Olympic Games without giving me a reason or responding to any of my letters.
For a year, my coach and I tried to find a solution with the federation, the national Olympic committee, and the sports minister, but nothing happened, even when we travelled to Kinshasa. I paid for all my competition expenses on my own, and as the African championships 2022 approached, I even wrote a letter stating that I would pay for myself again, but nothing happened.
So the coach of Guinea contacted me and offered me a place on their team. I didn’t want to switch again, but in the end, it was the only way for me to continue my journey as an athlete. It turned out to be a good decision. My mother, grandparents, and uncle lived in Conakry for three years, and they were happy there. I am also happy with my decision.
6. As the first woman to represent the DRC in Judo at the Olympics, how do you feel about this historic achievement?
As I mentioned earlier, I was very proud to have been elected as the flag bearer for DRC, but unfortunately, at the last moment, other officials from DRC in the village objected to this decision, and we ended up with only one flag bearer instead of showing equality.
Nonetheless, it was an honour for me to see so many people supporting me, including many young Judo players who approached me when I was in Kinshasa, and the enthusiasm for Judo that my results in DRC generated.
It was amazing to hear that when girls won competitions, their teams would call them “Marie Branser”. This was a huge honour, and I will always be grateful and proud.
7. What was your Olympic experience like, particularly in terms of the Olympic Village and the opening ceremony?
The Olympic experience was amazing. A dream came true for me! I was impressed by the village, the restaurant, the big athlete houses, and the training and recovery facilities. Even though we were not allowed to leave the village, it did not feel like a negative thing because I had such a great time there. The opening ceremony was incredible. I was overwhelmed with emotion when I entered the stadium, and I will never forget the feeling of joy I had.
8. Can you take us through the day of your Judo competition at the Olympics?
The day I competed was crazy. That was the day I had been working towards for the last few years, and I knew I had to be on point and give everything I had. I felt nervous and stressed during the warm-up. The day before, when I watched my friend compete in the -70kg category, I felt good and relaxed. But on my day, I was feeling heavy and weighed down by the pressure.
Then my coach came and reminded me that everyone feels nervous, maybe even more than me. That changed my mindset, and I felt more courageous and powerful. I fought against a Russian girl, and it was a really close fight. We both gave our all on the mat. We both made some mistakes, but she made one more than me. I lost in overtime. At first, I was really sad, but I was also proud to be there on that day and to have come so close to victory.
9. What is your most unforgettable moment in your Judo career?
I don’t have just one moment. I think I have many moments. Of course, winning the African championships and the Olympic games were significant achievements, but besides those, there were many other important moments, such as the moments during training, training camps, or even winning a national title.
10. How would you compare African Judo with European Judo in terms of training, facilities, and funding?
Well, Europe certainly has better funding from their national federations and also from the European Judo Union. They have access to a lot of training camps, highly educated coaches and good facilities. However, Africa also has its strengths. The International Judo Federation (IJF) is making efforts to help improve the sport on our continent, but ultimately the success of African athletes depends on their daily training regimen, their hard work, and their mental preparation.
We do need better organization for training and in some parts of Africa, a more positive mindset among athletes and officials, such as coaches or heads of federations. If we can bring about these changes, there will be more opportunities for us to achieve good results. When we achieve good results, we will attract more funding, which will allow African judo to continue to grow and improve.
11. What do you think needs to be improved in African Judo?
I think many African judo players are really brave and have good physical abilities. However, sometimes they lack endurance after 3 minutes of fighting. In addition to physical conditioning, the tactical and mental aspects of judo are also important. It is crucial to stay focused throughout the entire match. Furthermore, more training camps should be organized to bring different players together to learn from each other and improve together.
12. Could you tell us about any upcoming competitions you have planned?
2023 will be a year full of competitions. We will have Tashkent next week, then Tunis and two Grand Slams in Georgia and Turkey to prepare for the World Championships. The second period of the qualification will start after that. I will be travelling to many countries and hopefully win a lot of medals.
13. Outside of training and competing, what do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I always enjoy spending time with my loved ones and my dog! I love meeting friends, going into nature with my dog, or just watching good movies. It also depends on the time of year. In the summer, you will only find me outside during my free time, either lying on the beach or enjoying the sun on my balcony.
14. After your Judo career, what are your plans for your future profession?
COVID-19 taught me that it’s not necessary to make long-term plans because they will change for sure. So, let’s see what is going to happen after Judo. Until then, I will give everything I can to win a medal in Paris 2024.
