Even before the first seconds of this final, the first French title of the competition was assured. This Tuesday in Abu Dhabi, Marie-Ève Gahié and Margaux Pinot competed for the title in less than 70 kg at the World Judo Championships. The second won the golden score.
Marie-Ève Gahié was in front for a long time thanks to penalties, but Margaux Pinot came back. Before shining with a waza-ari in the golden score. She becomes world champion for the first time in her career. Never have two French athletes faced each other in a senior final since the introduction of two fighters from the same country per category in 2010.
Selected for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Marie-Ève Gahié, 27, had already been crowned world champion in 2019. Margaux Pinot, three years her senior, will not be present at the Olympics, since each country can only field ‘one fighter per category. In 2019, she was a gold medalist at the World Championships, her best result.
In the semi-final, it only took 19 seconds for Margaux Pinot to defeat Greek judokate Elisabet Teltsidou. Thanks to an ippon, she ended the fight quickly. Marie-Ève Gahié for her part eliminated the Belgian Gabriella Willems in 1 minute and 23 seconds, after two waza-ari.
These are the third and fourth French medals won since the start of the competition in Abu Dhabi. In recent days, Amandine Buchard had obtained bronze in under 52 kg, like Clarisse Agbégnénou in under 63 kg.
