It may take her a few days, but Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard knows very well that she will fully savor her title of vice-world champion acquired on Sunday, in Tashkent, in Uzbekistan.
Posted at 1:33 p.m.
The Canadian, ranked third in the International Judo Federation (IJF), had a perfect path to the under 63kg final, where she faced Japan’s Megumi Horikawa, an opponent she had never found against. the path to victory.
Beauchemin-Pinard, however, left no doubt about her intentions and she started the fight on a high note, multiplying the attacks on her rival who was able to resist at every opportunity. “I knew the fight was accessible. I had a game plan, I was trying to apply my judo to me, without letting it settle down,” explained the Quebecer at the end of the tournament.
Hostilities continued and Beauchemin-Pinard kept the pressure on Horikawa. But this one had not said its last word and it took advantage of a moment of respite from the representative of the maple leaf to come back in force. She went there with an ippon in the very last second of four minutes of regulation time, slipping away with the coveted title.
PHOTO KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Megumi Horikawa and Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard
” I was not expecting that at all ! I knew her a little and I knew her techniques. Throughout the fight, I was good at blocking, but she surpassed me with her technique at the very end, in a moment when I was a little more exhausted,” confessed Beauchemin-Pinard, adding that the The issue could have gone one way or the other.
“They were two high-level opponents who pushed each other to the limit. Once, on the ground, it was close for me, but I wasn’t able to score, that’s how it is. I’m still really happy with my result, but it’s clear that right now, I still have the bitter taste of defeat. The silver medal is always harder to swallow and it may take me a few days to achieve. »
Earlier in the day, Beauchemin-Pinard had been expeditious on the tatami, winning its first three confrontations by ippon, in less than 70 seconds on each occasion. Cameroonian Audrey Jeanette Etoua Biock, Croatian Iva Oberan and Czech Renata Zachova, in order, tasted the medicine of the Canadian.
She then had an appointment in the semi-finals with the French Manon Deketer. This time, Beauchemin-Pinard needed just over two minutes to win and secure his place in the final duel. Under the advice of her trainer Antoine Valois-Fortier, she remained patient before finding the fault in the defense of her opponent who had to admit defeat by ippon after a long immobilization.
“I knew she was strong on the ground and I had to block her transitions. That’s exactly what I did and when I had the chance to take it to the ground and I didn’t miss it, ”analyzed the new vice-champion of the category.
This title was thus added to an already well-stocked list for the 28-year-old judoka. She now has medals in all types of competitions, ranging from the Grand Slam to the Olympic Games, including the Worlds. Something to fill her up and, who knows, maybe even encourage her to continue her sporting career until the 2024 Paris Games.
“When I won my bronze medal at the Olympics [Tokyo], I knew that I wanted to continue for at least a year to get the medal I was missing, to get a medal at the World Championships. I’m happy to say that I did it, that I achieved my goal. It’s clear that it makes you want to continue to get my gold medal, but I’m going one step at a time. I’m going to start by decompressing and taking a vacation to come back strong, ”she concluded with a laugh, before responding to the many messages already received on her cell phone.
The only other Canadian registered for competition on Sunday, François Gauthier-Drapeau did not experience the hoped-for exit for his first participation in the Senior World Championships. In the under 81 kg table, the Quebecer lost in the first round against the Tajik Somon Makhmadbekov, winner by waza-ari.
“Of course it’s disappointing for François,” dropped Valois-Fortier after the day. “He had a pretty tough draw from the start, against a southpaw. He has difficulty against this kind of opponent and he will have to continue working to find more solutions against left-handers. »
No Canadians will be in action on Monday, a day reserved for activities in the under 70 kg for women and under 90 kg for men. Shady ElNahas and Kyle Reyes will be the next representatives of the maple leaf to tread the tatamis of Tashkent, they who will be in the under 100 kg tournament scheduled for Tuesday.