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Steven Da Costa karateka snatches gold

Tokyo Olympic Games 2021dossier

The French did not miss his chance: the karateka adorned himself with gold at the Tokyo Olympics by beating the Turkish Eray Samdan in the final.

This one should not be missed. The French Steven Da Costa shone this Thursday in Tokyo in the karate final in the -67 kg category against the Turkish Eray Samdan. At the age of 24, he thus became the first Olympic medalist in the history of French karate. The discipline made its debut at the Olympic Games in the Nippon Budokan, a mythical temple of martial arts, concretizing years of struggle for its recognition within the IOC. But let the spectators not be mistaken, it only made a quick visit to the Olympic Games and was not selected for Paris 2024. It was therefore the year or never for Steven Da Costa, world champion in 2018 and double European champion

“Whether it’s the first Games, the last, whatever happens, I’m going for the gold”, assured the brand new Olympic champion with conviction before traveling to Japan to Libé, who followed him during his Olympic preparation. In Tokyo, Steven Da Costa did not waver. “Edgy” by his own admission during his first fights, the Lorrainer knew how to control his nerves to fight his way to the ultimate victory despite the particular format of the Games (two pools of five unlike the classic format, with direct elimination of entrance).

Steven Da Costa’s Olympic preparation followed by Libé

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