The French judo team, Olympic champion in Tokyo in 2021, retained its title by overturning Japan (4-3) in the team final at the Olympic Games, this Saturday, August 3, 2024 at the Arena Champ-de-Mars. Initially largely behind before coming back to win in the decisive round thanks to Teddy Riner, the Blues add a second consecutive collective title to the list of achievements of French judo and conclude the week in apotheosis.
4 mins
The showdown between France and Japan was titanic. And even in the craziest scenarios, no one could have dreamed of a more beautiful outcome for the sacred monster of French judo and his teammates. At the end of the pain but with unfailing determination, pushed by the transcended public of the Champ-de-Mars, the Blues achieved a monumental feat by winning against Japan in a test where only France proved that it could come and challenge Japanese hegemony.
However, things were off to a bad start for the French. After a week of mixed individual results and the disappointments of some title favourites like Luka Mkheidze, beaten in the -60 kg final, or Clarisse Agbégnénou (-63 kg) and Romane Dicko (+78 kg), each bronze medallist. Only Teddy Riner managed to win an Olympic title on Friday, the third of his career after those of 2012 and 2016, to definitively enter the history of judo.
Still dazed and perhaps inhibited by the immense expectations of their public, the French judokas first let Japan take the lead with the victories of Sanshiro Murao over Maxime-Gaël Ngayap Hambou (-90kg) and Rika Takayama over Romane Dicko (+70kg). The titan Riner then entered the tatami to revive his team against Tatsuru Saito (+90kg), the Japanese heavyweight who had failed to reach the final against him the day before. After three minutes of golden score, Riner finally sent him to the mat with an ippon and gave hope to an entire country.
Read also2024 Olympics: Teddy Riner wins his third individual Olympic title against Korean Kim Min-jong
A coronation snatched at the end of the effort
Sarah-Léonie Cysique then had to take advantage of this new momentum against Natsumi Tsunoda (-57kg), an opponent who normally competes in the lower category but who used her agility to get under the Frenchwoman and put Japan on the verge of Olympic glory. With their backs to the wall, the French team relied on Joan-Benjamin Gaba who faced Hifumi Abe (-73kg), the new Olympic champion in the -66kg category. Very close to completing Japan’s revenge after the defeat in Tokyo, Abe finally lost after an interminable duel lasting almost 9 minutes, including 4 minutes and 50 seconds of overtime. France reduced the gap to 2-3 and sent the Arena crowd into a frenzy.
After missing out on individual gold, Clarisse Agbégnénou came to contribute her stone to the building by defeating Miku Takaichi (-70kg), after a new unbreathable golden score. Now tied, it was a draw that would designate the category chosen for a final confrontation during a decisive round. The whole of France exulted when it saw the +90kg category, that of its eternal champion Teddy Riner, appear on the screen. Chance had therefore chosen France.
For his third fight of the day and his second confrontation against Saito, Riner went all the way to allow France to retain its Olympic title at home. After two penalties for each fighter, each on the brink of the precipice, Riner once again chose the perfect moment to come and turn the exhausted Japanese around with an ippon that will remain in the history of French judo. Yesterday I made my dream come true. Today we made our dream come true. We all came back together. “, rejoiced the greatest judoka of all time after the collective explosion of joy.
This second consecutive Olympic title allows France to end its harvest with ten medals including two titles, the objective set before the Games by the French Federation but far from the five crowns hoped for. These Paris Olympic Games will in any case have consecrated the legend of Teddy Riner, now unattainable at the top of world judo by having become the most successful judoka in the history of the Olympic Games (five titles including three individual) and the most decorated judoka (five gold medals and two bronze). Amazing!
Read alsoFollow the 2024 Olympic Games on RFI