Switzerland’s April Fohouo turns a shaky start into a breakthrough run

Lausanne is known as the “Olympic capital,” but for April Fohouo that idea didn’t click right away. Early on, trips to the Olympic Museum were simply part of school. The connection only hit later, when she stepped onto the tatami herself and realised she was growing up in a city where elite sport is part of the air.

At school, judo was offered alongside tennis and equestrian—sports often seen as more traditionally Swiss. Many tried it, but Fohouo was the one who stayed. She credits the “family atmosphere” at her club for keeping her close, even when her confidence wobbled.

That wobble mattered. Around age 12 or 13, watching others compete scared her enough to stop for a year. Then she surprised herself: she missed judo, went back, and felt good again. She returned to competition in 2018 at smaller regional events, only for the COVID-19 pandemic to interrupt momentum once more.

From 2022, the rise became hard to ignore. As events resumed, she picked up medals across Cadet European Cups and committed to building her career at -70 kg. She had previously tried -63 kg once before COVID, but -70 kg became home—even though she initially felt “very light” for the division. By 2023, podium finishes at European Cups led into a fifth-place finish at the Junior World Championships, a result that helped turn belief into ambition.

One step at a time, she kept finding the next level.

In 2024, Fohouo captured a major European achievement, taking the Junior European title at -70 kg, then backed it up with silver at the Junior World Championships. The following season brought pressure: entering the 2025 Junior European Championships as defending champion, she finished with silver and took it hard. But the response was immediate—weeks later she won the 2025 Junior World Championships, becoming the first Swiss junior world champion.

Her move into the senior ranks has been fast and eye-catching. She describes senior judo as more strategic, with every detail—and every Shido—carrying weight. Still, she reached two big finals early, earning silver at the 2026 Paris Grand Slam and silver again a month later at the Upper Austria Grand Prix. Next up is the European Championships in Tbilisi (16–19 April), where she says she feels good, but stays grounded: do her judo, learn, and keep building.

Source: EJU_News