The first judo “Tahiti Oceania Open” ended this afternoon with a better balance sheet for the heavyweights than the day before for the lightweights.
The judo teachers wet the kimono on Sunday in Arue. They were five to get on the tatami! Starting with Nicolas Tivant, from Tefana. He gives in to a chokehold by kiwi Maarten De Ridder, but gets a nice silver medal thanks to his morning victories.
His EJJP counterpart, Cyril Gaudemer, dominates his category but has a lot to do against another Polynesian in the final, David Chevalier. Two judo teachers full of mischief, but it is Cyril Gaudemer who wins the gold medal on O Uchi Gari. He does not fail to pay tribute to his adversary: at 52, David Chevalier, is a silver medalist and will be the oldest fighter in his category in the world ranking list!
Another highly anticipated fight, that of the Polynesian Rauhiti Vernaudon, with already well-stocked national prize list. Despite dominating guard, she failed to win in regulation time, and ended up suffering physically against the young Sydnee Andrews. The New Zealander wins the golden score over Harai-goshi. A huge disappointment for the young teacher from the Punaauia dojo who was aiming to win the first gold medal of the competition against a foreign fighter: “It could have been the end of the day, but hey, it’s the lack of competition, I haven’t competed at this level for two years, so it’s understandable” she regretted after her fight.
In the under 100kg, the duel between Tevita Takayawa and Jacob Edwards turns to the advantage of the Fijian, whose whole family has been shining in Oceanian judo for several generations.
And it is finally the fight of more than 100 kg, with the arch-favorite Jérémy Picard, former winner of the Games, who returns to judo at 32 years old. Expedited as in the morning, the PE teacher from Tipaerui college, as comfortable on a tatami as in a rugby scrum with RC Pirae, won against Samasona Tevaearai, this time on a strangulation on the ground. “You have to know that I’m injured, I have paralysis in my back, I have a muscle loss so I’m not at 100%, so this is a comeback for me: I had stopped, I I had taken up rugby a bit, with Pirae we continue, that’s good too; I’m happy to come back to judo: my goal is to do the Games in 2023 and why not come back for 2027 here in Tahiti, that would make me really happy”
Carla Nzossi Elecka also gleaned a silver medal in -70 kg against the formidable Kiwie Haylee Gaward. In the end, the Polynesian anthem only sounded twice, but local judo is in a good dynamic: the youngest judokas have gained experience… and confidence before the Games.
The Tahiti Oceania Open should now be played every year, with more and more internationals looking for points for the Olympic Games. But even in front of them, our judokas have shown it: they are not there to play stooges.
The results of the finals of the second day of the Tahiti Oceania Open:
At the ladies
-70kg : Haylee Gatward (NZ) beat Carla Nzossi Elecka (Polynesia)
+78kg : Sydney Andrews (NZ) beat Rauhiti Vernaudon (Polynesia)
At men’s
-81kg: Maarten De Ridder (NZ) beats Nicolas Tivant (Polynesia)
-90kg: Cyril Gaudemer (Polynesia) beats David Chevalier (Polynesia)
-100kg : Tevita Takayamwa (Fiji) beat Jacok Edwards (Australia)
+100kg: Jérémy Picard (Polynesia) defeats Samasona Tavaearai (Polynesia)
