He is only 23 years old. But seems to have already lived a thousand lives. Long perceived in the dojos as gifted, a future crack, Aleksa Mitrovic nevertheless almost, after yet another breakup with the Crusaders (the last one last January), put the kimono away for good. And bury, at the same time, these vast ambitions that he had embroidered on his belt.
But, less than a year ago, he says he let himself be convinced by a little inner voice that insisted on the idea of a “comeback”. “I felt like I hadn’t given my all yet. Even if it seems crazy. In any case, I didn’t want to have anything to regret “. So the one who, today, has become a student again (in Masters 2, at the IAE), chose, after leaving PSG and spending almost “ two and a half years away from the mats », to bounce back towards Monaco.
Not far, therefore, from the city and this Nice Judo which saw his talent blossom. A talent which, moreover, did not take long to reappear on the radars of the Fédé, since last May, he was called to compete in the Astana Grand Slam with the French team. “ But I had just started again, and I wasn’t really ready yet ».
This Sunday, on the other hand, more certainties accompanied him on the mats. Clearly, he had come to Saint-Etienne “ to win », « nothing else! “. Alas, yesterday in the final, he had to contend with a monstrously powerful Alexis Mathieu (PSG), and at the top of his art. “We don’t always do what we want. Now, what I achieved, despite everything, is really not that bad. Especially when you see where I come from. A priori, it’s something that could even seem almost impossible…”
Luca Otmane’s 7th final
He, on the other hand, was already in his seventh consecutive final in the French championship on Saturday. Suffice to say that Luca Otmane, even before starting the tournament, was among the main favorites in his category (- 81 kg). But, like Mitrovic, it was ultimately money that came to him. After a partly truncated final fight, and facing an opponent (the rising star of US Orléans, Arnaud Aregba) whom he had already beaten last year for the title. “ The idea when going there was to have fun and do some great judo. I rose crescendo in the competition and I quickly understood that I had rather good feelings. So I said to myself: “Keep it and do what you know how to do.” Unfortunately, in the quarter, I got injured. It lasted until the half, but in the final, on one movement, I felt that the intercostal cartilage had just popped. On the next action, I tried to go on the counter, but I couldn’t resist…”
Suddenly conceding an ippon, which definitively extinguished any hope of a 4th coronation. Despite everything, the man wants to put things into perspective, knowing that he will also have to be patient. “I had the same thing last year, but I think it’s less serious. I’ll have to take care of myself, take some rest, but it shouldn’t last more than a month and a half, maximum. It’s not very bad…”
No medal for girls
Still at the OJN, if Tizie Gnamien (- 90 kg), also injured (torn pectorals) in the half, had to give up competing for the third place, Sacha Gigli (- 81 kg) and Driss Jbilou Masson (- 66 kg) managed to win bronze. “ The results are therefore rather satisfactory. Our four boys, used to going out internationally, all responded and did the job”would like to highlight their president, Mohamed Otmane.
As for the girls and in particular Nice Judo, there was a slight disappointment on the other hand, since no more Florine Soula (- 70 kg), yesterday, than Léa Métrot (- 52 kg) or even Ophélie Vellozzi (- 57 kg), the day before, were able to climb on the podiums…
Worth a look
