A resounding return for Axel Clerget!

Sunday January 29, for his big comeback after eighteen months without competition, Axel Clerget took a beautiful bronze medal, at the Lisbon Grand Prix (Portugal). At 35, the Bragard validates the first stage of its return to the fore, a year and a half from the Paris Games.

During the Grand Prix of Lisbon (Portugal), disputed on Sunday January 29, the Bragard Axel Clerget, now licensed to Sucy, took a beautiful bronze medal, in -90 kilos, after eighteen months without competition.

For his entry into the running, after new major injuries (fracture of the throat, in April 2022, of the foot in October), and following an operation for pubalgia, in October 2021, Axel Clerget had a very difficult, the Israeli Kochman. “He beat me at the Games, in teams. It’s a fight that went very well. I had a lot of desire. The new things I have put into practice are positive. Physically, I feel in full possession of my faculties. When my opponent attacks, I feel strong on my legs. I win with authority,” Axel Clerget analyzes.

Then, in the eighth final, the Bragard, Olympic team champion, won against the American Knauf, on a strangulation on the ground. “He was a good opponent, junior world champion. »

“A little frustrating” in the quarter-finals

Then, in the quarter-finals, Nord Haut-Marnais lost on a third penalty against Kazakh Khamza. “It was a little bit frustrating. It’s a new rule that eliminates me. We no longer have the right to release the opponent’s “kumikata”. It’s a shame because we are at two penalties everywhere. I regret that the fight went too quickly because it looked interesting. It’s a pity that we put a third penalty. No one has knocked me down all day. I score in almost all my fights (five) ”, continues the 35-year-old judoka, always on the right foot.

Then, in repechage, the ex-Marnavalais chained, with an ippon on the Tadjhik Madzhidov then on the Serb Brasnjovic, on a “waza-ari”. “I was able to do five fights, which hadn’t happened to me for a long time. I win at the end, for the bronze medal, against the reigning European vice-champion. Beyond the athlete, I redid a weight loss, warm-ups and I gave myself the chance to chain the fights. »

Green lights

All the lights are green for Axel Clerget, who will compete in the Tel Aviv Grand Slam (Israel), from February 16 to 18. Before, there will be the Paris tournament stage, where he finished third in 2020. A competition that is being played this weekend. “The goal is to recover well. I have a nice black eye after an elbow from an opponent. I don’t even have a muscle aches. “Beyond this great recovery, Axel Clerget sent a message to the Federation. “Grandpa is still there. The selectors were there. Some had doubts. I did not pretend to return to the highest level. I move up 26 places in the standings (56^e global). I’m still a long way off, but I’ve validated the first stage of my return,” concludes Axel Clerget, who may be at the Tashkent Grand Slam (Uzbekistan), two weeks after Israel, the last stage before the selection for the Worlds. in Doha, Qatar, in early May.

Until then, the Marnavalais hopes to continue to climb on international podiums.

Nicolas Chapon

Chalindrey qualifies two judokas

Thibault Drouin is the first judoka from Chalindrey to win, during the Grand Est adapted sport championship, in Saint-Nicolas-de-Port, Wednesday January 25. Thanks to this result, he qualified for the French championships.
He won his two fights by Ippon and was accompanied by Didier Thomas, the club’s teacher.
Then, on Sunday January 29, it is the turn of Noa Cœurdassier, apprentice at the judo club and teacher of the Vaux-sous-Aubigny section, and Damien Petitjean to win a place for the French Kata championships, codified technical service, during the Grand Est championship (second on the Nage-No-Kata).
A place tinged with disappointment, however, given the scores obtained for their performance. They will have to establish a consistent training program to represent the club and the department as well as possible during the “France”.