The world number one tricolor won her first medal at the world championships, two years after the frustration of the Tokyo Olympics.
We left him frustrated, disappointed not to be at the festival of French judokas in Tokyo during the last Olympic Games. The only Tricolor weaned from a medal, Shirine Boukli took a nice revenge, Sunday, May 7, by winning the silver of the Doha Worlds in – 48 kg. The Gardoise was dominated in the final by the defending champion and now three-time world champion, the Japanese Natsumi Tsunoda. She still won her first charm in a major international event.
The world number one knew she was expected at the turn, after a 2022 season synonymous with a full box: European champion, winner of two Grand Slam events and the World Masters. The course was nonetheless full of traps, with a more than sluggish victory from the outset, with the golden score against the Spaniard Laura Martinez Abelenda. Apart from this delicate start, Shirine Boukli never really trembled, showing her above-average athletic qualities for the category.
“A beautiful silver medal”
Overpowered against the Maltese Katryna Esposito, swept away in just over a minute in the third round, more clever against a first Japanese, Wakana Koga, in the quarter-finals, before rolling the Kazakhstani Abiba Abuzhakynova with an unstoppable ground projection , Shirine Boukli showed off her judo throughout the day.
In the final, the Habs were offensive but never managed to gain the upper hand over Natsumi Tsunoda. After 2’36” of combat, the latter trapped Boukli by achieving a magnificent ippon following a takedown. “I am not disappointed, she reacted to the microphone of The chain L’Equipe. At the time, it leaves a bitter taste but there will be others. Even if we’re here for the gold, it’s a nice silver medal. I’m a little frustrated but we’re going to appreciate it anyway.” It is the first French charm at the Worlds in the category of – 48 kg since Amandine Buchard’s bronze in 2014.
This first day, which the French contingent hoped was brilliant, ended with only one medal on the clock. Blandine Pont failed to accompany Boukli on the podium. Already in competition with her compatriot for the Paris 2024 Olympics, the revelation of the last few months in her category fell against the Japanese Natsumi Tsunoda in the semi-finals and Wakana Yoga in the final for third place in her first major international competition.
Earlier in the day, the two Frenchmen engaged in – 60 kg, Luka Mkheidze (bronze medalist at the Tokyo Games) and Cédric Revol, were eliminated prematurely, in their first fight.
