French Judo Blogs

Keagan Young had a perfect day on Sunday at the Centre Pierre-Charbonneau, where he captured the under-90 kg title at the Montréal Pan-American Cup. With complete command of his craft, the Ontarian set the pace throughout the day, winning all four of his bouts by waza-ari, including the championship final against Aleks Krivec of Slovenia. “My final bout was almost identical to all my other fights, in that I got my opponent onto the ground, where I was able to finish the job. Overal... Read more

Nearly a year ago to the day, Julien Frascadore won the Panamerican Cup in Montréal for the second time in his career. The victory was all the more sweet, because it was in front of family and friends. The Québec-based judoka repeated his win today, Saturday, taking top honors in the Under-66 kg division at the Centre Pierre-Charbonneau. “It’s always special to compete in front of friends and family. Every time that happens, there may be a bit of pressure, but it’s important to be abl... Read more

Barely twenty-four hours after being defeated in the junior finals of the Pan-American Cup in Montréal, Gabrieli Makhatadze (-60 kg) and Nicole Daria Manaila (-57 kg) bounced back in style on Friday, claiming top honours in their cadet weight classes at the Centre Pierre-Charbonneau. “I was feeling a bit discouraged after my loss in the junior finals yesterday, but I think it ended up just getting me even more revved up for today,” said Makhatadze, as he stepped off the tatami. Aft... Read more

This past year, Mélody Grenier decided to switch weight categories, moving from the under-52 kg class to the under-57 kg class. Her victory on Thursday in the junior division at the Pan-American Cup in Montréal confirmed that her decision was the right one, and that she is progressing in the right direction. In the highly competitive weight division, Grenier defeated her compatriot Nicole Daria Manaila in overtime in the final match. With two shidos against her, she suddenly saw an op... Read more

The biggest names in Canadian judo will now be featured on their own trading cards. Inspired by the popularity of collectible hockey cards, Judo Canada’s latest project will kick off with its very first trading card, featuring Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard . The first card in Judo Canada’s collection was unveiled on Thursday, at the Pan-American Cup in Montréal. A total of 900 cards will be issued, in two distinct versions: 750 classic cards in red and black, and 150 special HP Club car... Read more

Over the past decade, Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard has been one of the most prominent figures in judo, in both Quebec and Canada. Now, after a highly successful sports career, the Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist has decided to hang up her judogi. “Throughout my life, judo has given me so much: travel opportunities, structure, the desire to push myself ever further, and the joy of the process. In life, you’re always striving for something—your next medal, the next level—but you also have... Read more

As the only Canadian competing at the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, on Sunday, Anes Mati did his country proud by finishing second in the under-66 kg division. The Québécois started the day strong, winning his first two bouts. He began by taking down Argentina’s Thiago Carvallo with a yuko, before defeating France’s Nathan Gbingbehi by ippon. Mati thus advanced to the gold medal final for his weight class, where he faced Khazar Heydarov of Kazakhstan. The two judokas put o... Read more

Félix Mercier-Ross made a tremendous early impression at the Panamerican Senior Judo Open held in Florida, wrapping up the first day of competition with a second-place finish after a hotly contested final in the under-73 kg division. After winning his first three bouts of the tournament, the Quebecer battled Venezuelan Andres Pariche in the championship match. The two rivals engaged in a back-and-forth affair that ultimately went in favor of the South American, who prevailed with a de... Read more

Just like the cadets yesterday, Canada’s junior judokas picked up a slew of medals on Thursday at the Pan-American Cup in Orlando, Florida. The Canadian team won a total of 15 medals, including nine in the women’s divisions. In fact, three of the women’s finals featured two Canadian competitors. Rima Bourihane defeated Emma Tritton in the under-52 kg division, Valeria Kostrovets bested Mélody Grenier in the under-57 kg category, and Charlie Thibault prevailed over Missy Jen Dorval Mbele i... Read more

Canada’s cadet judokas shone brightly at the Pan-American Cup in Florida on Wednesday, capturing a total of 11 medals—four gold, four silver, and three bronze—and securing podium finishes in almost every category in which they competed. The under-66 kg event was capped off by an all-Canadian final. Roman Semyrozum took on Samuel Morrison for the gold medal, coming out on top to claim the highest step on the podium. “Roman dominated the weight division, which was one of the day’s mo... Read more