For this last day of competition, each nation (which can) presents a mixed team made up of 3 men and 3 women. Thanks to its close-knit and well-balanced team, the French team reached the final of the event this morning.
Very close to disaster
Exempted from the first round, the France team waited to know the winner of the Italy / Israel opposition. Tied at the end of the six fights, the two nations had to decide between themselves by remaking their -70 kg fight. And in the end, it is the Israelis who win thanks to Gili Sharir.
Against the Habs, the Israelis will hold out until the decisive fight. At the end of the six fights, Guillaume Chaine (-73 kg), Romane Dicko (+70 kg) and Teddy Riner (+90 kg) had scored one point. Margaux Pinot (-70 kg), Sarah-Léonie Cysique (-57 kg) and Axel Clerget (-90 kg) unfortunately had to bow in sometimes very long and tactical fights.
Draw of the category called to fight again and .. -70 kg. Already the third fight of the day for Gili, who finds Pinot for a revenge. A little blunt physically, the Israeli no longer manages to produce as much effort and ends up being thrown by the French.
France therefore reaches the semi-final, where it will be opposed to the Netherlands, winners of Brazil.
For its part, Japan and Russia quietly have their respective opponents, Germany and Mongolia, 4-2.
Nevertheless, a notable event, the Japanese champion Ono, double Olympic champion in -73 kg, lost a few seconds from the end of time against the German Igor Wandtke.
An expeditious final block
At the half-stage, Japan was uncompromising. 4-0 sec against Russia. We will have to be strong to beat the Japanese at home.
But France is strong. 4-0 against the Dutch, so a victory for Clarisse Agbegnenou up category for the occasion, and one for Axel Clerget in a rematch on Wednesday against van ‘t End.
Fallen from Mongolia (4-2), the Germans will wait for the Netherlands for bronze, as the Israelis who fall from Brazil (4-2) will wait for Russia.
For the French, the eighth medal of this edition of the Games is already assured. But you have to be solid to have it in the most beautiful of metals. The start of the fights is at 10 am with first the third place, then the grand final around 10:30 am.
Photo credit one: IJF
