Steven Da Costa, the Olympic medalist karateka from Lorraine, gives lessons to SNCF agents

While the discipline in which he was Olympic champion in 2021 in Tokyo will not be on the program of the Paris Games in 2024, Steven Da Costa continues to practice karate at a high level, while transmitting his passion to the most novices.

The 25-year-old sportsman, originally from Mont-Saint-Martin (Meurthe-et-Moselle), became a trainer at the SNCF human resources center in Thionville (Moselle) where he has been providing training to Lorraine railway workers since the month of january.

He teaches them to defend themselves, but also to stand on a daily basis.

“I am under a sports contract with SNCF, 70% seconded.

Before, I worked in Paris, at the counter as a commercial agent, on the RER C line, but I wanted to come back to the region, and I had to think about the continuation of my career as a high-level athlete.

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The Olympic champion from Meurthe-et-Moselle has been affiliated since the beginning of the year with the SNCF athletes system.

Bertrand Jacquot

He thus decided to take on this educational role, intended for his colleagues, “on the postures and gestures to have, because they regularly carry heavy loads.

In training on the tatami, it is a question of teaching them to minimize, even avoid injuries when they are busy with the mechanics of trains in particular.

In the coming days, Steven Da Costa will however put aside his cap as a teacher, in order to devote himself fully to the European Karate Championships in Turkey, which begin next Wednesday, May 25.