The World Judo Championships in Doha are off to a pretty good start for the French team, with three medals to their name already. On Sunday, it was Shirine Boukli who led the way by going for silver, losing only to Natsumi Tsunoda in the final. This Monday, two of the three French people in the running also made it to the podium.
Amandine Buchard is a regular in third place in the world. Already a bronze medalist in 2014, 2018 and 2022, she will leave with the same charm this year. During this tournament, in the under 52 kg category, the Olympic vice-champion first easily dismissed the American Angelica Delgado and the Azerbaijani Gultaj Mammadaliyeva before giving in a few seconds before the end of her quarter-final against Japan’s Uta Abe, future gold medalist. The Frenchwoman was nevertheless able to regroup and beat the Korean Jang Seyun before knocking down the Hungarian Reka Pupp to get a place on the podium.
Walide Khyar had a different journey in the under 66 kg category. Invincible in his first three fights, despite two Golden Score victories, the Frenchman was completely helpless in the semi-finals against the Japanese Hifumi Abe, world champion and reigning Olympic champion, who placed an ippon after only 33 seconds. .
This defeat did not prevent Khyar from reviving in the fight for third place, during which he perfectly overpowered the Korean An Baul. In this same category, Daikii Bouba lost in the second round against the Azerbaijani Orkhan Safarov.
On Tuesday, Sarah-Léonie Cysique and Joan-Benjamin Gaba will enter the tatami to try to bring new medals to the French delegation, respectively in less than 73 kg and 57 kg.
