Teddy Riner Dominates Antalya Grand Slam: A Victory with Olympic Implications

It’s a victory that promises great things for the future. Back on the mat for the first time since his victory in Paris at the beginning of February, Teddy Riner won the Antalya Grand Slam this Sunday. After four mastered fights, the PSG Judo member dominated Tatsuru Saito, Japan’s representative for the 2024 Olympics, in the final. Just to enjoy a new tournament and conclude a great day in Turkey, four months before the Paris 2024 Games. .

In Antalya, the double Olympic heavyweight champion (2012, 2016) demonstrated that he was gaining momentum for the Games. He first quickly dispatched the Bahraini Azamat Chotchaev in 52 seconds before then dismissing the Dutchman Jur Spijkers then the Brazilian Rafael Silva on disqualification after three penalties (hansoku make). And if he did not tremble against Erik Abramov in the half who lost to hansoku make after having seemed very helpless, Riner nevertheless had to work hard in the final.

Faced with an offensive but above all left-handed Tatsuru Saito – which the Frenchman doesn’t like – Teddy Riner was put in difficulty. Penalized twice and while he was often on the defensive, he finally found the opening on a counter 30 seconds from the end to score a decisive waza-ari. At 22, Saito demonstrated that he had the weapons to embarrass Riner in Paris. But the 34-year-old Guadeloupean, who had already beaten him in the quarterfinals of the 2023 World Championships, should raise his voice again in the coming weeks and this success in Turkey will allow him to see what points he must focus on.

Gold in Antalya and a return to the future for Tolofua

Malonga settled the matter

Among the women, eyes were on Madeleine Malonga (-78kg), who was playing her ticket to the Games. And the least we can say is that the Ile-de-France resident was responsible for packing the deal. While Audrey Tcheuméo disappointed in Georgia last week with an inglorious fifth place, the silver medalist in Tokyo produced a demonstration this Sunday on the Turkish tatamis. Proactive and determined to demonstrate her abilities, she signed three ippons in five fights.

After a fierce fight against the German Anna-Maria Wagner (world number 3 and 2021 world champion) in the semi-final concluded by a “simple” waza-ari, Madeleine Malonga impressed in the final to dominate the German Alina Boehm (7th in the world) after one minute and 42 seconds. A recital against the reigning double European champion who had just beaten Tcheuméo last week in the bronze medal match.

Malonga in gold in Antalya and on the way to the Paris Games

While she had already taken a head start at the Paris tournament by beating Tcheuméo before winning bronze, the 2019 world champion, current world number 13, has surely settled the matter for Paris 2024 in this category, the only one that remains to be filled in France while the federation has already selected thirteen judokas out of fourteen. An ideal trip to Turkey in short for Malonga, who did everything to validate his ticket and full of confidence while the selection committee must meet next week.

2024-03-31 19:14:31
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