Algeria’s flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, judoka Amina Belkadi aims to climb onto the Olympic podium. Reigning African champion in the under 63 kilos category, she will however have to battle on Tuesday in a tournament where Frenchwoman Clarisse Agbégnénou reigns supreme.
Published on: 07/29/2024 – 21:04
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On her Instagram account, Amina Belkadi posted a photo where she proudly poses with the Algerian flag on a boat sailing on the Seine. On Friday, July 26, the judoka had the honor of wearing her country’s emblem during the opening ceremony.
“Wearing the colours of our country on the world stage is an incredible privilege,” she had explained a few days earlier in a message. “Thank you to the Algerian Olympic Committee for its trust and to all those who have supported me throughout this journey. Your support is my greatest motivation. I hope to be able to carry our colours even higher and win an Olympic medal.”
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“Honor my country”
At 31, the native of Tlemcen does not hide her ambitions. Reigning African champion in the under 63 kilos category for the fifth consecutive year, Amina Belkadi easily won her qualification for the Paris Olympics, by rising among the 18 best in her category in the Olympic ranking.
“Winning a medal at the Olympic Games is every athlete’s dream. It’s the Holy Grail for a top-level athlete. Personally, I aim to shine in Paris to grab the podium and honor my country,” she confided last May to the newspaper’s website. The Mujahid
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The champion started judo at the age of six, following in the footsteps of her older brother Ismail, as reported by Judo Inside. She is now part of the CSA (Amateur Sports Club) – Dynamique Sportive of Baba Hassen. In 2016, she began to get noticed by winning a bronze medal at the African Championships. Since then, she has continued to shine on the continental scene.
She hopes to follow in the footsteps of her idol Soraya Haddad. In 2008, in Beijing, the Algerian athlete achieved the feat of winning a bronze medal, while her compatriot Amar Benikhlef won a silver medal. Since then, the Algerian selection has never repeated such a performance.
To get there, Amina Belkadi will first have to defeat Venezuelan Anriquelis Barrios, who had already participated in the Tokyo Games in 2021, in the round of 16 on Tuesday, July 30. She could also find herself facing Frenchwoman Clarisse Agbégnénou, the reigning Olympic champion.
Also read: Paris Olympics: Clarisse Agbégnénou, judoka and mother, a fight on and off the tatamis
The Algerian athlete knows that she will be able to count on the public present at the Arena Champ-de-Mars. “The competition will take place in France, where Algerians remain the largest foreign community. I know that there will be a lot of support from our compatriots there,” she confided to El Moujahid. “It will have a special taste and an additional motivation for the Algerian athletes.”
2024-07-29 22:05:24
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