It was nearly 500 judokas who faced each other this weekend, at the Toulon sports hall, for the French senior 1st division judo championship.
Judo – Credit : VarActu
It has been fifteen years since the France championship (senior 1re division) of judo had not taken place. He returned to the Toulon Sports Palace this weekend.
About 500 judokas competed on Saturday and Sunday to try to win an individual title in the 14 categories represented (seven women’s and seven men’s).
Despite the absence of big names in judo like Teddy Riner +100kg, Romane Dicko +78kg, Amandine Buchard -52kg… The level was assured by the two Olympic medalists, Audrey Tcheuméo (silver in Rio in 2016) in -78kg and Priscilla Gneto (bronze in London in 2012) in -63kg. Other well-known judokas were also there, such as Loïc Pietri in -81kg, Loïc Korval and Benjamin Axus in -73kg.
All the more the beautiful show reserved for judokas, this event was 100% free.
And in this competition, three Var residents shone! Aiguines judoka Théo Raoul-Hébrard won the first gold medal of his professional career. Chloé Devictor, judoka from Le Castellet, won her first bronze medal (-52 kg). Anne M’Bairo (+78 kg) brought back her seventh national medal, at home in Toulon.
Even if Joseph Terhec (+100kg), the Raphaëlois, hoped for much better with a gold medal, but he still carried off a beautiful bronze medal!
Anthony, a judo fan for years, was delighted: “It was great to see a bit of judo at home. It’s rare that an event of this magnitude is in our region and open to the general public!”
