Thanks in particular to Romane Dicko and Priscilla Gneto, the Blues qualified for the quarter-finals of the team event of the Doha Worlds at the expense of Lithuania.
The day after Teddy Riner’s eleventh coronation, the Blues are not satisfied. Reigning Olympic Champions, the tricolor judokas started the team event with a clear success over Lithuania. On the Doha tatami, Romane Dicko was determined to forget the disappointment experienced this Friday during her duel against Migle Dudenaite. Faced with an opponent quickly sanctioned twice, the Habs did not need two minutes to win by ippon and put the France team on the right track. Teddy Riner being absent, Joseph Terhec was aligned in the over 90kg against Ignas Mecajus. Thanks to two waza-ari registered during a fight which did not last more than three minutes, the native of Alençon brought the Blues a second point. After her non-selection in individual, Priscilla Gneto did not miss her first fight on the tatami of Doha. Opposed to Vaiga Cecyte, the Habs closed the deal in 53 seconds. After registering a waza-ari, a first attempt to immobilize could not work.
🇫🇷 France 4️⃣-1️⃣ Lithuania 🇱🇹
Margaux Pinot (-70kg) gets the last point and qualifies France for the 3rd round! 💯#JudoWorlds #GoLesBleus #FierdEtreJudoka
— France Judo (@francejudo) May 14, 2023
Pinot qualified the Blues
Not cutting her effort, the native of Yopougon prolonged the fight on the ground. This time, the second “osaekomi” allowed him to get the second waza-ari which brought the French team closer to qualifying for the quarter-finals. Orlando Cazorla had the “match point” against Kestutis Vitkauskas but the success was not there. The Lithuanian was able to unbalance the Frenchman to score a waza-ari before playing with fire. Refusing the fight, Kestutis Vitkauskas received two penalties but held on to save Lithuania’s honor. Margaux Pinot then entered the tatami with the idea of sending the Blues in the quarter-finals at the expense of Ugne Pileckaite. A fight that lasted 90 seconds. After registering a waza-ari, the Habs continued their effort on the ground on an armbar. Very quickly, his opponent tapped to concede defeat. Thanks to this easy victory (4-1), the French team will be there for the quarter-finals.
