France won the silver medal during the mixed team event, at the world championships, Thursday October 13 in Tashkent. In the final, the tricolors bowed against Japan.
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The reigning Olympic Champions against the defending world champions: the Worlds in Tashkent ended with a “classic” of judo. For the fourth time in a row, France and Japan clashed in the final of the mixed team team event on Thursday, October 13. And for the fourth time in a row, the Japanese won (4 victories at 2), taking their revenge from the 2021 Olympic final, in Tokyo.
Before meeting in the final, French and Japanese dominated competition in the morning. The former dominated Georgia (4-0), China (4-1) and Israel (4-1), while the latter left no chance to the Dominican Republic, the Netherlands and Germany , all beaten 4-0.
Despite the absence of his Teddy Riner leaders, injured, and Clarisse Agbegnenou, who gave birth to his first child in June, the French team gave a hard time to the Japanese. Sacred world champion in the category of more than 78 kg the day before, Romane Dicko continued on his momentum by winning all his fights of the day by Ippon in less than a minute. It was she who brought France back to 1-1 in the final, after the defeat of Alexis Mathieu.
Then, after the victory of Hygoa Ota against Joseph Terhec (more than 90 kg), Sarah-Léonie Cysique has once again shown that she was transcending in the team events. The Olympic vice-champion defeated Haruka Funakubo, against whom she has always lost individually, to put the two teams on a par (2-2).
“We mark our territory”
Despite the fights contested, Joan-Benjamin Gaba and Marie-Eve Gahié then bowed. “We are disappointed but there is pride anyway, said, just after the final, Christophe Massina, head of the French women’s team, at the microphone of the L’Equipe chain. The Japanese trembled a little, And it’s important to make an impression “.
This silver medal closes a halftone world for the tricolor delegation, which brings five medals this week to Tashkent – one in gold, one in silver and three in bronze.
Despite premature eliminations and individual disappointments, the French team showed that it was always necessary to count on it. “When Sarah-Léonie manages to let go, there is no photo. Romane, I don’t even talk about it. And Marie-Eve also made a great day. We mark our territory and we show that competition by Teams is part of our DNA, “says Christophe Massino. With, as a target, Paris 2024.