Marnavalais Axel Clerget, fifth, Saturday December 2, in the -90 kilo category, in Tokyo, was torn between the satisfaction of returning to the top level and the disappointment of missing out on bronze due to penalties. But he remains confident in this Olympic race, before a large block of training courses and the Paris tournament, in two months.
jhm daily: How do you assess your day?
Axel Clerget: “It was a big day of competition. You just have to look at the entrants and the first seven who all have a big track record, are consistent and very strong, with the Japanese Murao winning ahead of the Georgian Maisuradze in the final. I’m back in this closed circle. That’s very good news. »
daily jhm: Do you find this 5th place encouraging or frustrating?
A. C. : “Frustration dominates. I lost two fights on two penalties. I haven’t fallen all day. Penalties come very quickly. It’s the game. I remember the positive. I remained very focused and rigorous on my diagrams. I was able to change strategy in relation to the Euro. It is a very good thing. I’m really happy to have found this concentration again. All my fights, from start to finish, were longer than five minutes, with the Czech, Klammert, whom I very often take in the first rounds, then a strong Azeri, seventh at the Masters and winner in Australia. I lose the Korean Gwak, former world champion and four or five times world or Olympic medalist, who is back at the forefront. Then, I beat the Asian champion, Sherov, who had beaten me in Uzbekistan, and who had beaten Bobonov, a big name. I’m really happy with my three successes. »
“Forearm cramps” against Parlati
daily jhm: What is the three place against the Italian Parlati based on?
A. C. : “I had cramps in both forearms. I’m not at my best level, but I managed a very interesting fight physically and technically. The penalties mount very quickly (two to one against Axel Clerget). We look at each other for two seconds. Additionally, the fight was starting to heat up, with attacks from both sides. The referee considers that we are not going to get the “kumikata”. I really wanted to get on the podium because it would have been a big blow, but I remain in the Olympic race. Afterwards, it’s not up to me to analyze. I said I was going to gain strength and that it would eventually pay off. It happened in Japan. In my planning, in 2021, I wanted to gain momentum towards the end of the Olympiad and I succeeded in doing so. »
daily jhm: How are you physically?
A. C. : “Everything is fine at that level. I have some aches, but I will recover well, especially in the fingers which have been used a lot, before starting the two weeks of training on site. »
“A big international internship”
daily jhm: How will your next internships go?
A. C. : “The French team leaves on Saturday. I’m leaving for ten days, to build up my volume, take on the best in the world and do a big international internship, which hasn’t happened to me for a long time. On the second part, I will find a lot of Japanese people. My attacks are coming out better and better, left and right. Then, I will leave from December 14 to 20 to Les Ménuires, with the French team, before another training course in Reunion or Austria, at the beginning of January, with a view to the Paris tournament, my next big objective. »
Collected by N. Chapon
2023-12-03 19:11:55
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