Mélanie Vieu went for the gold medal in judo in the category of less than 48 kilos Wednesday, June 29. This title in Oran gives her the energy to continue to progress and why not win a place at the Paris Olympics in 2024 or Los Angeles in 2028. In France, competition in women’s judo is very tough, especially in its category. .
From our special correspondent in Oran,
” What does the bottle matter as long as we are drunk wrote Alfred de Musset. In Oran, the French judoka Mélanie Vieu, small in size, but big in talent, obtained a beautiful gold medal in less than 48 kilos.
“I knew there would be a very good level”
After a victory against the Kosovare Erza Muminoviq for her entry into the running, she then dismissed the Italian Sofia Petitto on ippon, before taking the upper hand against the Serbian Milica Nikolic in the final. Proud to have won her bet, this little bit of a woman shouted her joy to whoever wanted to hear her, in front of an overheated audience.
” It’s true that there weren’t many of us compared to the usual international competitions. But there were a lot of people there. I knew there would be a very good level “, explains Mélanie Vieu who had heard of the first two French gold medals in the morning and who wanted ” do the same “.
The second gold medal of his career
Mélanie Vieu therefore pocketed her first gold medal at the Mediterranean Games and the second of her career. She had been crowned champion at the European Under-23 Championships in 2020 in Croatia. “ The attitude I had today, I will use it as a reference. I’m not going to let go. I must not be satisfied with this result “, she says. It’s true, the level of French judo among women is very high.
And taking a ticket for the Paris Games will remain complicated for Mélanie Vieu. ” I am lucid. The reigning European champion in less than 48 kilos is French (Shirin Boukli). We are many. But I like to surpass myself. And if it’s not Paris, it will be Los Angeles. The strongest in the category will deserve its place. »
“I will have plenty of anecdotes to tell”
In September 2021 in Zagreb, Mélanie Vieu won silver and bronze in Portugal in January 2022, during the Grand Prix. Oran is kind of a kind of new satisfaction. At 23, she is not tired.
Mélanie Vieu started judo at the age of 7 in a village near La Rochelle. ” If someone had told me that I would be here today, I would never have believed it. I am passionate about judo and I have always had people around me who believe in me. »
Always attracted to sport, Mélanie Vieu relishes this trip to Oran where she says she met endearing people. ” It’s a great experience to be here. I will have plenty of stories to tell. I am happy to have been able to meet other delegations. With the Covid, we didn’t have the opportunity to get out of our bubble for a long time, and here it was possible. We took a tour of the city and the Fort of Santa Cruz, it’s magnificent she smiles. Her goal achieved, she will be able to return to France, continue judo and think bigger.