Joshua Mugneret won the excellence judo tournament in Clermont-Ferrand on October 18, 2026, defeating top French competitors to cement his status as a rising talent in Seine-et-Marne, Actu reported. Training out of the Judo Club de Coulommiers, the cadet-category athlete secured the title at the dojo in Ceyrat after taking second place at a previous tournament in Contrexéville.
Clermont-Ferrand Victory Over France’s Top Seed
Entering the tournament as a seeded competitor, Mugneret defeated France’s number-one-ranked cadet, Sandro Bakradze, in the semifinal round. He then captured the tournament title by winning the final against Sacha Ferrant, a fellow Seine-et-Marne judoka who competes for Montévrain.
The podium finish at Contrexéville followed by the competition in Clermont-Ferrand mark a breakthrough for Joshua Mugneret. “Joshua won’t have to go through the departmental and regional stages to access the French championships,” said coach Rémy Vanwymeersch. “He has the potential to become the French number one in his category and be selected at the international level.”
European Cup Preparation in Greece
Following his success on the mat in Ceyrat, Mugneret turns his attention to international competition. He is scheduled to compete at a European Cup event in Thessaloniki, Greece, in late November 2026. Last season, the young judoka placed fifth at a European circuit event in Portugal.
Mugneret began practicing the sport at age five and has spent the past two years training at the Pôle espoir de Brétigny-sur-Orge. His home club in Coulommiers has nurtured his cadet training group for nearly a decade, holding three to four weekly sessions that have recently begun yielding top-tier results across excellence-level tournaments.
Seven Cadet Judokas Travel to Japan Next Summer
The successful cadet group comprises seven athletes who maintain close bonds alongside their rigorous training schedule. “The cadet group lives well, with very strong bonds of friendship,” Vanwymeersch said. “They progress and become excellent judokas.”
As a reward for their sustained commitment, the entire training group is scheduled to travel to Japan next summer for a three-week trip. The itinerary combines cultural sightseeing with intensive training sessions at two high schools in Japan.
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