After seeing her compatriot Jessica Klimkait win top honors the day before in the under 57 kg category, Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard seemed to have wings on Wednesday on the tatamis of the Grand Slam in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates. The Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist flew through the under 63 kg competition, en route to the top step of the podium.
In the final, Beauchemin-Pinard quickly took the advantage of her duel against the Chinese Jing Tang. After a little more than two minutes of fighting, the Quebecer put an exclamation point on her day by throwing her opponent to the ground with a ura nage.
“My last competitions had not lived up to my expectations. This result is really good for morale. It’s good to know that I’m still in the game! I wanted to finish in style, I knew this fight was accessible. Before the duel, I told myself that I was going to give everything and that I was not going to give him a chance,” said Beauchemin-Pinard.
Her last Grand Slam victory dates back to last February when she won the final in Tel Aviv.
Beauchemin-Pinard’s reaction was immediate! Kneeling in the middle of the tatami, she pumped both fists in the air with a huge smile on her face.
“I was so happy immediately after my victory. I not only won, I did it with a big ippon. I felt strong! » added the gold medalist.
PHOTO GIUSEPPE CACACE, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard and Tang Jing
Earlier in the day, the 29-year-old took advantage of a first-round bye before defeating Frenchwoman Gaëtane Deberdt in her first match of the day. Beauchemin-Pinard then secured her place in the final four by winning decisively against Austrian Magdalena Krssakova.
She finally qualified for the final thanks to her victory in the semi-final against Lubjana Piovesana, also from Austria.
“I think my mental preparation made a big difference. I moved forward through the day one fight at a time without thinking too far ahead. I was really staying in the moment,” she explained.
In action in the under 81 kg table, François Gauthier-Drapeau was limited to a single fight in Abu Dhabi after admitting defeat against Uzbek Nurbek Murtozoev.
Thursday, Louis Krieber-Gagnon (-90 kg), Shady ElNahas (-100 kg) and Kyle Reyes (-100 kg) will be the three Canadians in action during the last day of activity at the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam.