Three months after a particularly successful Grand Prix de France, both in terms of sport and organization, France hosted the second French Ecopen this weekend in Vitry-sur-Seine. Different room and configuration, renewed sports platform, no Carpentier Hall and few representatives of the French team, mobilized last week by the senior world championships in Mexico, nor even the best tricolored cadets competing in the European championships in Malta, but some three hundred athletes all the same for this G2 marked by its environmental commitment A dense competition which saw the presence of the French Dylan Chellamootoo, Ismaël Bouzid, Estelle Vander-Zwalm, Mohammed Mendy and some top internationals like the Spanish Marta Calvo Gomez, 11^e world in -62kg, the Ivorian Ruth Gbagbi, double Olympic medallist, double world champion, and current world n°2 in -67kg. After the Spanish domination of last year, the gold on the French side for Marie-Paule Blé, Adam Selmi and Omar El Yazidi, a Korean presence always expected, what was going to be marked this 2022 edition?

 

Korea hits hard

With six titles in the men's category, Korea truly honored this event with its presence. Even when they were stung, their fighters, solid on their technical and tactical bases, took control of the fight when it was necessary. A grouped shot of a remarkable precision which did not leave much space to the others. We might as well say that the gold won by the spectacular Georgian Zurab Kintzurashvili in -74kg, in a breathtaking category like his semi-final against the Spaniard Milan Canovas and the final which opposed him to the Moroccan Zarhouti, is a nice performance. The other title won by a non-Korean? Issa Diakite in -58kg. At 23 years old, the Ivorian, triple medalist at the African championships, had already won the Israeli Open. In Paris, he had a great day and won a crazy final at the end of the third round against the French Samuel Bedart, one of the four French finalists of the day, the other highlight of the day on Saturday.

 

Four French finals

"I was eager to fight in front of the French public and the club, because there are not so many opportunities, the latter, a resident of the INSEP.I had to be in the game right away with a strong Korean, then beat a few Frenchmen to show that I had my place, following my change of category in June. These are the steps that you have to take to be able to see higher. Of course I would have liked to finish with the gold, but it came down to details. But I remember that after having been destabilized in the first round of this final, I won the second and that everything came down to nothing in the third round. A twenty-one year old fighter who knows what he wants. More experienced, Ismaël Bouzid was not satisfied with his final in -80kg, while climbing on a podium which was good for him."It's a shame, because this fight was within my reach, explained the four-time French champion and world junior medalist.But, after a long injury that lasted a year, a recovery in April and many competitions since, I have at least the satisfaction of being on the podium in a day without many sensations. To finish the year well, that's what I need to remember before a break, and a new block of work at the beginning of the year that should lead me to go for a selection for the World Championships in Baku in May 2023." Two silver medals for men to which we should add that of the very young Yassine Bouhajeb in -54kg. Several times champion of Tunisia in youth, he joined France a year ago, incubated by the GTA 93, its president Taoufik Kechiche, Kevin Maria and a certain Gwladys Epangue on the chair all day."They bring me a lot, they are like my family, explained Yassine, after a nice fight in the semis against the Australian Healy and then his final against the Korean Huichan Yang. A course that reminded Adam Selmi's on this same French Ecopen last year."I feel that I am progressing, I have confidence in those around me and I know that I have the means to do something beautiful. For me, it is clear: I want to become a French international and participate in the Olympic Games. I train a lot for that.

 

 

Causse, it's solid

In the women's category, the medals were much more varied, with the victory of the British Phoenix Goodman in -46kg against the Korean Sua Park, the very good performance of the triple African champion Oumaima El Bouchti from Morocco in -53kg, or the gold of the American Hannah Keck in +73kg. We could also add to the balance sheet the gold of the German Halema Hadzic in the lower category and the almost perfect day of the Canadian Leonarda Andric, victorious in -62kg - as in 2021 -, she who beat the very recent British world medalist Powell in the semi-final in a conquering attitude, just like the Canadian team which ended its day with four medals. And France? Khalida Haddad in bronze in -67kg and Estelle Vander-Zwalm on the podium of -73kg, it is Estelle Causse who rose the highest, in final of -57kg. Impeccable training partner of the French team this summer, the Lot-et-Garonnaise was smiling at the end of her day."Gold may have been within my grasp, and I probably overestimated the Korean in the final, but I am really happy with this silver medal. I was sick and I arrived with the idea of giving everything in this last competition of the year. For a year now, I feel that I am progressing and it is very good after a lot of doubts in the youth categories. It really reassures me, proves that it is possible and this first senior year ends very well.

A dominant Korea with eighteen medals including nine gold, a taekwondo champagne in many semis and finals, ten French medals (7 in men, 3 in women), this edition 2022 will not have lacked brilliance.

 

Olivier Remy / Sen No Sen