Selected in -90 kg for the European Championships, which will be held in Montpellier from November 3 to 5, Maxime-Gaël Ngayap-Hambou was forced to withdraw (obviously due to a rib injury). In fact, the selection committee of the French Federation chose to replace him with Axel Clerget. At 36 years old, the mixed team Olympic champion in Tokyo in 2021 will return to the continental competition which has not been successful for him the last three times (unclassified in 2017, 2019 and 2020); he was a silver medalist in 2017.
“I’m very happy but I have a thought for Maxime-Gaël, we don’t wish it on anyone. I imagine how difficult it is for him to have to refuse to compete in a championship, at home no less” commented for the Team, Axel Clerget, who learned the news this Friday.
The opportunity to get back into the race for the 2024 Olympics
After the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Clerget took a long break and only returned to competition in February 2022, at the Paris Grand Slam where, to avoid a diet, he fought in -100 kg (unclassified) , his only tournament that year. In 2023, the double world medalist in -90 kg (2018 and 2019) has reached a tournament podium three times: 3rd at the Portuguese GP, 2nd at the Austrian GP, 3rd at the Kazakhstan Grand Slam. He did not place at the Grand Slams in Israel and Uzbekistan, nor at the Masters in Budapest at the beginning of August. “Of course I’m going to the European Championships to achieve a result. I’m going there to look for a medal, it’s been a long time since I’ve had one (2nd in 2017), or even a title even if I don’t want to be pretentious,” says Axel Clerget. “It’s my first official championship since the Tokyo Olympics, it’s cool. I didn’t continue for nothing. »
Before the European Championships, Axel Clerget is involved in the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam, where the -90 kg will fight on October 26. Even if he has already started his diet, not sure that continuing is easy. “It is said that the night brings advice, so I am in reflection. On the one hand I want to win points (for the Olympic ranking) at a Grand Slam, on the other it would be a shame to risk a injury before a championship which also counts” believes the judoka. Who should decide this weekend.
Whatever his decision, one or both competitions will be opportunities to get back into the race for selection for the Olympic Games in Paris next summer. In 2021 in Tokyo, he was unclassified individually (beaten in the third round).
2023-10-20 17:35:09
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