The Frenchwoman is competing in the -70kg category this Wednesday, July 31.
Marie-Eve Gahié is not the best known of the French judokas, but the latter, like the great week of the judokas, can hope for a medal in the -70kg category. The reason? She is still the 2019 world champion, double European champion in 2022 and 2023, a record that is one of the most beautiful of the participants.
If you didn’t see her in Tokyo, that’s normal, the Frenchwoman was absent because of Covid. Not because she was contaminated, but because of the one-year gap, it was Margaux Pinot who had taken the lead in extremis and who obtained her ticket for the Games. “It was quite difficult, as world champion, not to go to Tokyo. I took the time to cry, I admit, to take stock and come back slowly, to get back into judo, and to weigh the pros and cons. And I continued…” Since this event, she has won seven Grand Slam podiums, two European titles, a second place at the World Championships this year and is ranked 7th in the world.
A very religious judoka
Outside of sport, Marie-Eve Gahié takes refuge in religion and uses it as a source of strength. “I had a religious upbringing and today I have a relationship with God. For me, having a relationship with God and believing in God is the most beautiful thing in my life. And this year, I haven’t had a very easy year, I lost my father, I was injured. These are times when my faith was put to the test.” In competition, “I am always in prayer. I have times when I interact with my coach, when I am going to fight. But there are times when I need to pray,” explained the judoka.