Text: Olivier Remy - Sen No Sen // Photos : Amandine Lauriol

Four participants*, three medals including two finals, the para-taekwondo team won their Grand Prix at home. Of course, there are two lost finals that made rage, on the chair and even well after for the always very competitive Haby Niaré. But, beyond the medals, it is an impression of solidity and lucidity on fighting that could also have turned in favor of the opponent who will remain. What to build. Sophie Caverzan's speech in bronze in -57kg goes in this direction." It is true that since the Paris Olympics, the level has changed considerably. It's a lot harder. I am quite happy with my first lap, because I had lost, foolishly, against this girl (Kazakhstan Dosmalova, NDLR) at the last Grand Prix in Rome. So it was an obligation to put the clocks back on time. In the semifinals, I came across the Brazilian, who loses very little, but I played my cards thoroughly, and even if I lose, I am rather satisfied with my performance. Today, it is a reality: it is even better than I am. But I know that, little by little, I grapple, and I'm gonna beat her, I know. »

"Change color! »

Zakia Khudadadi, Olympic medallist 2024 under the banner of the refugees and champion of Europe for France – naturalized just a year ago – put an end to the bronze that stuck him a little too much to the skin. And if she can't settle for money, she realizes that something might have been unlocked tonight. "I'm happy with my day even though I was looking for this gold medal. In half, I thought, bronze, we're tired of it, we have to change that color! I haven't worked enough for the moment on Mexican and maybe I wanted to be too aggressive to make the decision too fast. As a result, I lost a bit of my pace on this final, of course, it's annoying, but it's a first silver medal in the Grand Prix, so I'm taking it and I'm already looking at the world championships and thinking that I'm now switching on the gold."
He missed a little bit of the Paralympic vice champion Djelika Diallo to win her final too and she clearly identifies what didn't work, she's only 21 years old, let's remember. "It was a good day for me. I had a year and a half without competition because of my back injury and this is just my recovery tournament. The recovery process was a little long anyway. I'm a little disappointed, of course, because I wanted to get the gold medal, but I gave myself a lot, I did everything I could. I'm very eager for the next... »

"The Ways to Work Well"

For everyone, but also for this team from a collective point of view, this Grand Prix is therefore an important step, but it must not forget the essential, as Louis Lacoste, director of Paralympic performance, points out. "Each had specific objectives. And they were hit. Of course, we end up with two lost finals. But our women have gone on a course. One of them was not to let go and they went to the end of every fight with this state of mind. After that, we still lack a step to go. In the face of the best, we must start by getting to its best level. Zakia like Djelika have not been in the finals and have to make progress on it. They must take their place. » In an increasingly competitive international context, this must be clarified. " Indeed, the level has changed considerably compared to Paris 2024. The foreign teams are growing in volume and it is increasing in quality. We also see teams that structure themselves with far more complete staffs than before. The level rises anyway from Tokyo. We are more about quality than volume, rather in the lead platoon, but still at the end of the platoon for the moment. The aim is to go to the top of the hierarchy with the means that are at our disposal. We have what we need, thanks to the help of the NSA and the Army, to have national coaches available. In addition, he highlights the quality, commitment and unity of this Haby-Yasmina duo (Aziez), which makes an enormous contribution to this dynamic. We are also together at INSEP every day, with two full-time training partners. All this must enable us to achieve our objectives. » The world championships of 20 and 21 November in Muju, Korea, arrive quickly, and they will be followed by the final Grand Prix.

*Simone Thiero, engaged in +65kg, was beaten in the quarter-final in three rounds by Russian Savinskaia.

Results:

Women
K44 -47 KG: 1. Claudia Romero (MEX) - 2. Zakia Khudadadi (FRA) - 3. Lia Chachibaia (GEO) - 3. Nurcihan Ekinci Gul (TUR)
K44 -52 KG: 1. Ana Japaridze (GEO) - 2. Meryem Betül Çavdar (TUR) - 3. Marija Micev (SRB) - 3. Jessica García (MEX)
K44 -57 KG: 1. Silvana Mayara Cardoso Fernandes (BRA) - 2. Maria Eduarda Machado Stumpf (BRA) - 3. Sophie Caverzan (FRA) - 3. Gamze Ozcan (TUR)
K44 -65 KG: 1. Ana Carolina Silva (BRA) - 2. Djelika Diallo (FRA) - 3. Patrycja Zewar (POL) - 3. Secil Er (TUR)
K44 +65 KG: 1. Elena Savinskaia (RUS) - 2. Eleni Papastamatopoulou (GRE) - 3. Amy Truesdale (GBR) - 3. Jelena Rasic (SRB)

Men
K44 -58 KG: 1. Asaf Yasur (ISR) - 2. Sabir Zeynalov (AZE) - 3. Gustavo Czerniak (BRA) - 3. Tyemirbyek Khaulyet (GML)
K44 -63 KG: 1. Mahmut Bozteke (TUR) - 2. Adnan Milad (ISR) - 3. Ebrahim Samqa (BRN) - 3. Joel Martín Villalobos (ESP)
K44 -70 KG: 1. Juan Diego García López (MEX) - 2. Valter Sedano Delfino de Oliveira (BRA) - 3. Shunsuke Kudo (JPN) - 3. Antonino Bossolo (ITA)
K44 -80 KG: 1. Nurlan Dombayev (KAZ) - 2. Joel Gomes da Silva (BRA) - 3. Zhanbolat Kaziyev (KAZ) - 3. Luis Mario Nájera (MEX)
K44 +80 KG: 1. Aliaskhab Ramazanov (RUS) - 2. Matt Bush (GBR) - 3. Adem Arda Ozkul (TUR) - 3. Bilal Iakhiaev (RUS)