“Dorian Jaouen is a student in MSc 1 Corporate Finance and Financial Engineering, which he is doing on a work-study basis at Vicat. To this already busy life, comes to add his status of high level athlete in Thai boxing ! Discover the journey of this student like no other.
What sport do you practice? What do you like about this sport?
I have always practiced combat sports, at the age of 2 and a half I started karate, I then joined a regional sports section. This passion will animate me until high school. I followed this with French boxing, where I remained undefeated for 2 years. Finally, I started three years ago the Thai boxing, boxing which has the particularity to be very complete since the fighters can use knees, elbows, shins, feet and fists.
How long have you been practicing and at what level?
In Thai boxing everything went very fast, 2 weeks after I took my license, I was offered a fight without protection in semi-pro. 6 months later, I became vice-champion of the French university. In June 2018, I obtained a third place at the amateur world championships in Italy and then, in November 2018 the ISKA (International Sport Kickboxing Association) international title in Germany. As a result, I was accredited ” high level sportsman “.
How do you manage to combine sports and classes?
Before obtaining the status of high-level athlete, combining sport and study was not an easy thing to do, especially since I had set myself the challenge of completing a double degree in economics and management in addition to my bachelor’s degree at EM Strasbourg. I would get up earlier to practice and go to bed later to study, every day I would try to find a 2 hour time slot to practice, without impacting my life as a student. It was never easy, but I wanted to prove that with determination, it was possible to combine studies and sports. It’s all a matter of organization and will. This is the message I wish to convey today.
Now in a work-study program, new to the region and with a rather demanding lifestyle, I preferred to put high-level sport on hold in order to get my bearings. Thai boxing is a dangerous sport, it is very important for me to be stable in order to compete. What is sure, it is that I did not put an end to my life of competitor, I continue to train, to keep a good cardio, and I have the intimate conviction that you will see me very soon back on the rings, with always more determination and desire.
Why did you choose the INSEEC MSc & MBA?
I chose INSEEC for its professional training, with the possibility of doing a work-study program from the first year. The fame of the group also influenced my choice.
What do you gain from practicing sports so intensively and at such a high level?
It is above all a life balance, I can’t see myself living without sport. Thanks to boxing, I have traveled, discovered different cultures. The most important thing for me is stress management. Before a fight, the pressure is omnipresent, only a boxer can really understand and feel this sensation. It is essential to learn to channel it, to manage it, to play with it. In everyday life, professionally and personally, knowing how to manage stress is a real asset.
Boxing and the results obtained help me a lot professionally, it reflects my culture of results and my character : a strong will to succeed, rigor and discipline.
Are you considering a career related to your passion?
Of course, I dream of combining my passion with my future profession. Having already had some experience in entrepreneurship, I would love to create my own business one day, directly related to sports. I also have a strong attraction for coaching, I had several times the opportunity to coach friends and I really enjoy it. My training at INSEEC in corporate finance plays an important role in achieving my goals of creating a company.“
Updated 24 February 2022