Israa Daghari, trained in Noyon then Chiry-Ourscamp, placed 3rd at the French junior championships in the +78 kg category on March 2 and 3. She is among the hopes of her category – Photo DR
“My mother signed me up for judo at the age of 10 to channel my hyperactivity,” she remembers, amused. Ten years later, Israel Daghari is on the podium of the French Junior Judo Championship 1st division in the heavy category, over 78 kg. The energetic little girl is today a judokate in the making who is one of the strong prospects in her category and competes with the very best as she has just proven this weekend of March 2 and 3 in Paris.
“This podium is a first step forward,” says the 18-year-old, 1.73m tall girl. “I feel like I have put all the chances on my side to progress and that it’s really starting to pay”. If this third place is not his first performance, it is in any case his most spectacular. The young Noyonnaise, trained with Claude Varlet at the ASJN, Noyon Judo Sports Associationnow relocated to Chiry-Ourscamp, began to show her talents from the cadets.
An “outsider” in a very tough category
Today considered an “outsider” among juniors, in a 78 kg category described as the toughest and dominated by many hopefuls in women’s judo, Israa continues to rise. After a fifth place for her first participation in the Junior European Cup last year in Poland, she was expecting a podium in the most anticipated French event of the year. It’s done. “No one believed it, I was facing very strong girls, but I gave the best of myself and I did it,” she still recounts her joy from her podium. On the road to Israel this weekend stood the formidable and impressive Grace-Esther Mienandi Lalou, champion of France, Europe and the world when she was a cadet. Israa’s pride? “To be the only one who managed to bring it down,” she rejoices. And this, despite a considerable difference in size. One regret, however: not having made it to the final. “I stupidly came out in the semi-final,” she says. I was leading by a waza-ari, but on the same action, I looked at the referee, I lost my concentration and my opponent, Léonie Minkada-Caquineau (European cadet champion), immobilized me “. Israa Daghari (right) on the podium of the French junior championships alongside Grace-Esther Mienandi Lalou – Photo DR
Objective France
With this podium, however, Israa has touched “the dream of every judoka: to wear the kimono of the French team”. Despite international competitions, she has never worn the kimono decorated with blue-white-red. “It’s going to be special,” she confides. And the one who is binational French and Tunisian, intends to give everything to be part of the French adventure. “Tunisia is already asking me to take part in the world championships, but France is the best country in judo, France is mixed, France is full of things and I want to make my place here. Choosing Tunisia would somehow be choosing the easy way out, even if I’m proud that they want me. But French judo is very heavy,” she says. She has already refused calls from across the Mediterranean twice. Israa Daghari with her family after her third place at the French championships at the Paris Dojo – Photo DR To achieve a place on the French tatamis, the young girl put all the chances on her side by deciding, at the age of 18, after his baccalaureate and his mother’s “agreement”, to put his studies on hold. “I feel that there is something to be done and I don’t want to have regrets,” she assures. Which has already allowed him to join the Pôle France de Judo in Verquin in Pas-de-Calais thanks to Lilian Barreyre technical director of Hauts-de-France. She is trained there by Christophe Leprêtre and the former world champion and Olympic vice-champion Céline Lebrun. “They have already made me progress a lot. It was Lilian who trusted me, who pushed me, who made me go out internationally already. Before arriving at Pôle France, I had the physique, the technique, but I probably lacked the cardio. I am becoming more and more complete and I feel that I have already progressed in a few months,” analyzes the young champion. Israa arrived in Verquin in December.
Next step ? “Insep!” she answers without hesitation. The National Institute of Sport, Expertise and Performance is the school of excellence. The one who has one year of junior left before moving on to the seniors knows that places there are expensive, generally reserved for number 1. But she assures that she is not “at the end of her progress”. And she will indeed have to continue to achieve her dream: “To be titled champion of France, to progress, to have a career like Romane Dicko (Olympic medalist in the +78 kg category) and to one day make the Olympics”.
At the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Romane Dicko will be there. For Israa it will be too fair. But the young Isarian looks further.
Watch again in video: the end of the fight which gives bronze to Israa Dagahri:
2024-03-08 08:46:26
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