Julia Tolofua and Romane Dicko embrace after each winning their fight for the bronze medal at over 78 kg. The image is beautiful, but we will also remember that Dicko, reigning world champion, was beaten in the semi-finals by Turkey’s Kayra Sayit, whom she had beaten for bronze at the Tokyo Olympics.
Even within the French women’s team, the hierarchy was shaken up during this Parisian Grand Slam. After the surprise victories of Blandine Pont and Priscilla Gneto on Saturday, Audrey Tcheuméo remembered the good memories of the coaches by winning gold in the under 78 kg category, the category generally dominated by Madeleine Malonga, currently injured. In the final, the double Olympic medalist (in London and Rio) won against another Frenchwoman, Cloé Buttigieg. The second gold medal on Sunday with the coronation of Teddy Riner.
In total, over this weekend, the French team won 11 medals (3 for men, 8 for women), with Sunday also silver for Marie-Eve Gahié (under 70 kg) and bronze for Alpha Diallo (less than 81 kg). A positive assessment, even if several nations, in particular the Russians and the Japanese, were missing.