It was as the defending champion that France advanced to these 2023 European Games in Krakow, where only the mixed team event was on the program (see you in Montpellier in November for the individual European championships). A status that guaranteed him a white round, the time to observe Azerbaijan dominate the Czech Republic 4-1 to set themselves up as the first opponent of the day. Without its leaders Hidayat Heydarov (world No. 1 in -73kg), Mammadali Mehdiyev (10th in -90kg), the country on the shores of the Caspian Sea did not weigh very heavily against the French, perfectly launched by Margaux Pinot (-70kg) who quickly placed his seoi to score waza-ari before finally winning by strangling Gunel Hasanli, 95th in the world in the category. Same scenario for Maxime-Gaël NGayap Hambou against Vugar Talibov, national n°4 in -90kg, whom he sent on his back for the first time by orienting his fall well on his sumi-gaeshi before scoring ippon shortly after mid- combat on a kneeling tai-otoshi. Samah Hawa Camara (+70kg) only needed a full minute to subdue junior first year Nigar Suleymanova with his shoulder movements, before Joseph Terhec (+90kg) made his technique speak by performing a subtle -ashi-barai on Dzhamal Gamzatkhanov’s ko-uchi-gari, one place ahead of the Frenchman in the world rankings. A clear and flawless 4-0 that allowed France to advance in the quarter against Italy, also impeccable in the previous round against Romania. Maxime-Gaël NGayap Hambou (-90kg) showed the way in s’ imposing in two stages against Olympian Nicholas Mungai – seoi-nage on his knees and sumi-gaeshi, imitated a few moments later by Samah Hawa Camara (+70kg) who confiscated the right arm of Asya Tavano, Romane Dicko’s faller at the Worlds of Doha, after a minute of duel to impose his juji-gatame. An advantage that melted like snow in the sun with the two hansokumake received by accumulation of penalties by Joseph Terhec (+90kg) and Priscilla Gneto (-57kg). Benjamin Axus (-73kg) then thought to put his own in the lead, but his waza-ari marked after recourse to video arbitration was not enough when Edoardo Mella, world junior medalist in 2019, this time managed to furiously counter the fighter of AJA Paris XX for ippon. It was up to Margaux Pinot to equalize against Irene Pedrotti for the survival of France. Without managing to bring down the young Transalpine, the 2021 mixed team Olympic champion did not panic and increased the penalties until the third, fatal to Pedrotti. The draw then offered a revenge to Priscilla Gneto (-57kg), who was again to face the double Olympic champion and recent world medalist of the -52kg Odette Giuffrida, who remained on the same pattern as during their first confrontation for lead the debates with kumikata to attack the first and put the French in default in the eyes of the referee who sanctioned her three times in five minutes and thirty minutes of sudden death. go for a bronze medal for the French team, in the top 5 in the nations ranking on the eve of the last events. No notable problem against Turkey, with the inaugural victory of Samah Hawa Camara and the successes of the entrants Emre Sanal (+90kg), Sarah-Léonie Cysique (-57kg) and Orlando Cazorla (-73kg) for a 4-0 which sent the Blues to the small final against the Netherlands, in a remake of the final of the 2022 edition of Mulhouse.
Emre Sanal was again aligned in +90kg against Jelle Snippe, winner of the Turkish Grand Slam at the end of March. After a minute of combat, he launched into a ko-soto that started from very far away, too much to judge by the reaction of the Dutchman who managed to overtake him to tackle him to the ground and manage to immobilize him. A mistake that Sarah-Léonie Cysique (-57kg) erased with a juji-gatame which forced Pleuni Cornelisse to retire shortly before the gong. A round everywhere so when Orlando Cazorla entered the track against an inspired Koen Heg on the ground to return the Frenchman who had tried to make his hip speak a few seconds earlier: tate-shiho-gatame by covering his head with his right arm to prevent any attempt at a bridge, and now the Batavians regained the advantage. Failing to be already decisive as in Muhlouse, the Pinot-Van Dijke gave birth to a mouse since the tricolor was sanctioned for the third time in mid-fight on an illicit seizure. The defeat proved forbidden for Maxime-Gaël NGayap Hambou, opposed to Jesper Smink, just better ranked than him. He took the fight from the right end by snatching an entrance waza-ari on his harai-makikomi, but was unable to conclude before Smink managed to slip behind his back to equalize. The golden score thinned the air even more in the two clans, who gave voice to encourage their two representatives until this pass of arms on the edge which saw Smink wrap around the arm of Ngayap Hambou, who ended up being swept away when his opponent pressed his whole body on his right forearm to force the decision.
No podium therefore for the France team, which quickly regrouped around its young fighter who was writhing in pain on the edge of the surface. A sad end for these European Games, which finally saw Italy adorn themselves with bronze at the expense of Portugal (4-0) before Georgia, world medalist for the first time in mixed in Qatar in May, exults after their victory in the final against Germany (4-1). Second success in the event after 2021 for the partners of Tokyo Olympic champion Lasha Bekauri (-90kg), who had to go through the seventh duel in the half against Italy.
2023-07-01 16:55:39
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