Althéa Laurin crowned, the first Olympic title in the history of French taekwondo

The Frenchwoman won the gold medal in her category on Saturday without losing a single round all day.

Reigning world and European champion Althéa Laurin upheld her rank on Saturday, August 10, by being crowned Olympic champion in the +67 kg category. The native of Saint-Denis did not lose a single round in her golden day, including in the final against Uzbek Svetlana Osipova, the 2022 +73 kg world champion. It was a historic evening for French taekwondo, which had never known gold despite its nine medals at the Olympic Games (three silver and six bronze) before this fight.

Winner of the first round thanks to a kick to the face (which is worth three points in taekwondo), the Tricolore was on her way to victory in a second round where no points had been scored… Until she suffered a kick to the helmet with less than two seconds to go. A short-lived scare since the Frenchwoman reacted immediately. After viewing the video, requested by her coach, three points were awarded to her, before the judges decided to break the tie in favor of the Frenchwoman, who was more combative.

A victory full of lucidity and control, just like her tournament. Facing opponents who were initially well within her reach, she dominated her first two fights (3-0, 12-0 against Munira Abdusalomova, then 8-3, 8-3 against Lorena Brandl), before winning her semi-final with forceps (2-1, 2-2 against Nafia Kus), just like the fight that gave her gold. Althéa Laurin won each of the rounds she played, never letting her opponents get the upper hand.

A perfect day that allows her to realize her Olympic dream, three years after creating a surprise by reaching the podium in Tokyo at just 19 years old, when she was not expected to reach that high. “The bronze medal in Tokyo was a good start, but I knew I wanted Olympic gold and I got it, it’s just incredible”she savored after her victory on France Télévisions. Already in the history of French taekwondo with this first title for the Blues at the Olympics, she is also the one who brings the 16th gold medal for the tricolor clan in these Paris 2024 Games, a record.