French Judoka Joan-Benjamin Gaba Wins Bronze at European Championships Ahead of Paris Olympics

Three months before the Paris Olympic Games, Joan-Benjamin Gaba opened his international record by winning the bronze medal in the -73 kg category of the European Judo Championships on Friday in Zagreb. Coming to Croatia to gain confidence before the big summer meeting, the Frenchman reached an important milestone in his career with this first individual podium in a major championship. He finds himself in good company, notably alongside the Azerbaijani Hidayat Heydarov, world No.1 and now quadruple European champion.

“Since my Olympic selection, I had said that I would work hard to be up to the task, and today I am really happy,” he said at the microphone of the L’Equipe channel. “I showed that I “I had the skills, I showed what I could do.”

In the fight for bronze, the 23-year-old judoka beat Finn Valtterin Olin by waza-ari. After scoring after a minute of combat, the Frenchman managed the clock perfectly to offer France its third medal of the competition after Blandine Pont’s silver and Cédric Revol’s bronze on Thursday.

Gaba entered the fray by dominating Kavan Majidi, who fights under the banner of the Refugee team, before overpowering Moldovan Petru Pelivan, 10th in the world and bronze medalist last year.

Frustrated boy

He then won against Bulgarian Mark Hristov before losing in the semi-final to neutral Russian Danil Lavrentev after four minutes of overtime. “It’s good, and we immediately look forward to what’s next. I finished third but the medal I’m aiming for is gold,” added Gaba, who also has to compete in the World Championships in less than one month in Abu Dhabi.

The other selected for the Games present in the Croatian capital, Alpha Djalo, was less happy, going out in the second round of -81 kg. After a close victory against the Greek Theodoros Demourtsidis, Djalo followed up with a big piece in the person of the Georgian Tato Grigalashvili, double reigning world champion. He lost after a frustrating fight which was settled by penalties. “Tactics are part of judo and today it ended this way and it’s detrimental for me unfortunately,” said the PSG resident, who won his first continental medal, bronze, last year. last during the Euro in Montpellier.

The three other French people entered on this second day of competition, Margaux Pinot (-70 kg), Manon Deketer (-63 kg) and Orlando Cazorla (-73 kg) were eliminated prematurely. They will not compete in the Olympic Games this summer.

2024-04-26 21:23:10
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