Sophie Roberge comes from Canada's first family of judo. Four of the five Roberge children participate in the sport at a very high level. It was their mother who registered them for the sport in order to tame the squabbling between the children. The oldest in the family are Patrick and Maxime both national team members. Catherine, 18, will compete at the world junior championships later this year. She spent the entire year in France on a school sports program and won the French national high school crown.

  "My two older brothers (Maxime and Patrick) were put in the sport because they fought all the time," said Sophie Roberge, who competes in 63 kilograms. "When I saw them for the first time in judo I was seven years old and I was hooked. But my parents made me wait a year because they thought I was too young. I really suffered that year."

2000 Games
Sept. 19: Women's 63-kg: Sophie Roberge, Beauport, Que., lost by ippon to Severome Vandenhende, France, then lost in second-change repechage, eliminated.


2000 Games Judo Coverage