Margaux Pinot crowned world champion against her compatriot Marie-Eve Gahié, Madeleine Malonga in bronze

At the end of a first 100% French final in the history of the Worlds, Margaux Pinot won her first world title in the under 70 kg category on Wednesday.

The light came from the Blues. Three of the four French judokas competing on Wednesday May 22 won a medal, including an unprecedented double in the -70 kg category, at the World Championships in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates). Not selected for Paris 2024, Margaux Pinot won the first 100% French final in the World Championships by dominating her compatriot Marie-Eve Gahié in the Golden score. A first world title at the age of 30 as a “revenge on life” for her, while the Federation preferred its opponent in the Olympic race.

This first title for the French team in the Emirates was followed by a new charm, this time in bronze. In the -78 kg category, Madeleine Malonga recovered after her defeat in the semi-final against the Italian Alice Bellandi, by reversing a poorly started duel for third place against Lee Jeongyun. Trailing by the score, she finally won on penalties, taking advantage of the Korean’s disqualification for three warnings.

On the other hand, Audrey Tcheuméo leaves empty-handed. While she was aiming for a second world title to console herself for missing the Olympics, the Bondynoise was beaten in the other fight for bronze by the British Emma Reid, whom she had nevertheless immobilized on the ground for nine seconds. One less than he needed to win. Behind, his opponent managed to take advantage of the situation in the confusion.

If the harvest was good for the French Wednesday, the success was not the same among the men. At the end of the morning, the young Maxime-Gaël Ngayap Hambou was the first Frenchman eliminated of the day. Winner of his first fight against the Mauritian Rémi Feuillet, the Habs did not resist against the Spaniard Tristani Mosakhlishvili in the second round.

“I came to claim my medal. I had the desire but the desire is not enough, you have to be efficient, precise, and today I was not.”he declared at the end of his fight, full of regrets. A reminder for the 22-year-old Frenchman, selected for the Olympics in his -90 kg category. “In hot weather it’s a big blow to morale, we’re going to have to work, there are still two months left, we’re going to have to work harder”he added.

His compatriot Alexis Mathieu spent one more round but was quickly knocked out by the Cuban Silva Morales in the round of 16. Of the six French people participating in these Worlds, none won a medal. The French men’s team did not send any judoka in -100 kg or heavyweight to Abu Dhabi. Not enough to reassure two months before the Games.