The four entries of the day were all quickly ejected from their respective tables and were not drafted to claim a bronze medal. The first to disappear is Joan-Benjamin Gaba (-73 kg), who after a successful start against the Chinese Daja Qing (ippon on immobilization), was eliminated by Fabio Basile (waza-ari in the golden score), the Italian Olympic champion in 2016 in -66 kg.
“I didn’t make the match I needed, I had already taken it several times. He was always ahead of me on the attacks. At the golden score, I had to attack so as not to take a penalty. I felt there was waza-ari. I had a table within my reach, I go out in the second round, it’s a shame, “ confided the young Frenchman.
Benjamin Axus under pressure for selection
In the same category of -73 kg, Benjamin Axus failed in the second round against the Israeli Tohar Butbul, vice-champion of Europe 2021. On penalties. “He blocked me well, I couldn’t find my place in the fight, regretted Axus. On each attack, he scares me because he is always on the joints, so my wrist is always upside down, my elbow… He was smarter than me. It’s a profile that doesn’t really suit me, but that’s how it is, we can’t only have profiles that suit us. We know that -73 kg is a strong category, today I was not good enough. »
Above all, Benjamin Axus knows that this Grand Slam is part of the selection process for the Worlds in Uzbekistan (October 6-13). Already selected for the Euro, at the end of April (unclassified), he will not have a new opportunity to show himself before the selection committee since he was not selected for Zagreb, next week. “We will see what happens (for the selection). We train like dogs every day, it sucks not to be drafted. I hope that won’t happen again. »
Loïc Piétri comes close to the feat against the Japanese Fujiwara
Loïc Piétri, he almost created the sensation of the day in front of the Japanese Sotaro Fujiwara, vice-world champion of -81 kg in 2018. In the second round, it took a few seconds and a blow from the Japanese who used all his weight to cause the Frenchman to come out of the mat, sanctioned with a third penalty, synonymous with disqualification. While Piétri, world champion in 2013, led with a waza-ari (o-soto-gari). Frustrating.
“I find it very severe, I don’t agree with the decision, but it’s part of the game”
“Frankly, I find that sometimes they abuse the Japanese a little. We played a good game, it’s close. I plant it, for me it’s an ippon. Afterwards, they take an hour to decide that it’s a waza-ari, I wonder why. Then, the last sequence, he pushes, he pushes, I struggle not to go out. They do sumo officiating on the last trick as I do the action of the match,” Loïc Piétri said sorry. I find it very severe, I don’t agree with the decision, but it’s part of the game. It’s painful because we don’t have a million outings (in a tournament), here I’m playing a match reference. I am between the two because I would have liked to win this match but I also see that I manage to make good matches on the strong guys. This is the positive point. » The Niçois will have the opportunity to show himself again next week in Zagreb. With in mind, too, to convince the French selection committee to take him to the Worlds.
Also in -81 kg, Nicolas Chilard was eliminated at the start of the golden score by the solid Israeli Sagi Muki (waza-ari, on seoi-nage), world champion in 2019.
