After winning the Europe, this judoka from Seine-et-Marne finished second at the world championships

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Every year, gold slips through his fingers. But there is no question for Yann Calarnou of giving up. On Wednesday November 6, 2024, this judo teacher at the Montévrain club (Seine-et-Marne), went to challenge the greatest judokas during the Veterans World Championships in Las Vegas (United States).

Despite its silver medal that evening in the -66 kg category, the judoka was not not proud of his performance and further expands its already substantial track record.

“After three veteran European champion titles in a row, I bring home the silver medal at the world championships for the third time,” the athlete proudly explains, “I am very proud of my performance in Las Vegas. It was very very tough, the draw was very complicated,” said Yann Calarnou.

This competition was the hardest and most demanding I have ever participated in.

Passion above all

As long as he is driven by this passion and this desire to surpass oneselfhe will go to the end.

“My credo is to do the best possible and face the matches one after the other. I had a great time in Las Vegas and I intend to be present in Azerbaijan, in Baku in October 2025, to finally win gold in the veterans world championship,” announces the three-time veterans European champion.

To reach the final on November 6, 2024, Seine-et-Marnais had to face big names.

“I only took former high-level athletes, guys who were seniors and the national team. In the round of 16, I came across Mackensy Laurent, who was in the senior world championships three years ago. In the quarter-final, it was the American Michael Valentine who I defeated in the golden score (the golden score is an additional period in the event of a tie between two fighters at the end of the regulatory four minutes. This phase does not include no time limit In addition, each point scored is synonymous with victory and the end of the fight, Editor’s note). In the semi-final, again… a golden score but this time by nine minutes against the Canadian Jose Mechato. So I lost to the Mongolian Chinzorig Sonomdagva, who was in the national team for more than ten years, still on the golden score,” he says.

For him, he barely took to achieve victory. “Given the course, I think I lacked a little freshness in the final,” quips Yann Calarnou, before meeting in Estonia for the European Championships in May, with the aim of worldwide by the end of 2025.

Supporting young people

After his medal, he resumes his kimono teacher and coach. “We are going to go with the cadets to Greece for the European Cup during the weekend of November 23,” says the professor impatiently.

A trip that the association finances. “I want my students to compete. We stick out our tongues a little and we hope that sponsors can come and share the adventure, that would be great,” concludes Yann Calarnou, who hopes to have a bigger season than last year, with these students.

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