After more than a year without competition, the Ruthenian judokats have returned to fighting this Saturday, October 23 on their tatami mats for the regional championship which brings together until tomorrow more than 250 followers, men and women alike. A revenge for them, who could not go to “France” in October 2020 because of contamination with Covid-19.
More motivated than ever. The fighters of Judo Rodez Aveyron (JRA) started the competition this Saturday, with the individual phases of the Occitanie championship, at the Ginette-Mazel gymnasium. But as their teammate, Clément Caors, slipped before they started their first fight: “The most important thing is tomorrow!”.
Repeat the feat
Doriane Soulages, Camille Chambellard, Christiane Vital, Léa Nogaret, Mathilde Demontfaucon and Chloé Sincholle will try, as a team, to seek qualification for the French championship, this Sunday afternoon. It must be said that they have a revenge to take. Last year, the Ruthénoises qualified for the “France” of Brest. “ A historic first for the club “, underlines Fabien Noël, trainer and sports director of the JRA. But a case of Covid-19 in their team, barely a week before the competition, forced them to stay at home. “ It was frustrating, remembers Chloé Sincholle, so we want to qualify again “. Especially since most of them have been fighting together for a long time. “The girls made the French team championships in cadets and juniors, so it would be great if they could, finally, go there as seniors”, adds the coach. And for once, the doors of this national meeting are on their land. An exciting first, but which adds a little pressure. “It’s stressful, there are people who come to see us”, notes Christiane Vital, who took over the license at the club this year after a stint in Montpellier.
The girls start the competition this Sunday at 2 p.m., after a morning of men’s fights, where the club have fielded two teams. The first two teams in each category will win their ticket for the “France”, which will be played in Perpignan, from November 12th to 14th.
