Madeleine Malonga lost to Italy’s Alice Bellandi in o-soto-gari (mowing) this morning, leaving the 2019 world champion disappointed. This afternoon she won on penalties against Korean Lee Jung-yeon. However, while falling behind, the Frenchwoman, ranked 8th in the world, saw her opponent disqualified after three sanctions.
At 30, Francilien, the 2021 world vice-champion, adds a new line to her list of achievements ahead of her home country’s Olympics this summer. Judo competitions will be held from July 27 to August 4 on the Champ de Mars. Tricolor will be part of the French judo team for the Paris Games following CNOSF approval on Friday, April 12, which ended its remote duel with Tsheumeo. “I feel relieved. This is a step forward. Now focus on competition day,” she told the Olympic Games website after the announcement. Malonga will take to the mat on August 1 in the 78kg category.
In the same category, Audrey Tsheumeo failed to make it onto the podium in Abu Dhabi. The Frenchwoman, who was named world champion – 78 kg in April and was not selected for the Paris Games, lost her second match for the bronze medal. The French judoka thought she could hold on for victory over Britain’s Emma Reid thanks to an ippon, but her opponent responded by holding the position longer, according to the referee. A brutal result for the 34-year-old, already upset at not being selected for the Olympics.
Source: Le Parisien
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