Judo: Blandine Pont European vice-champion

Money to console yourself. While she had not appeared on a tatami in a major competition since her 7th place during the Grand Slam in Tokyo last December, Blandine Pont shone this Thursday during the European Championships organized in Zagreb. By reaching the second step of the podium, the Frenchwoman won the first medal of her career during a major international competition (excluding Grand Slam). Above all, she forgets, at least for a moment, her non-selection for the Paris 2024 Olympics in a category of less than 48kg where Shirine Boukli was logically preferred.

Nevertheless, at 25 years old, Blandine Pont has confirmed her potential, which means she is currently ranked 13th in the world. After dominating her first two opponents of the day in the penalty game - the Belgian Loïs Petit and the Turkish Tugce Beder, the Frenchwoman accelerated in the semi-finals to inflict an ippon on the Serbian Milica Nikolic, 6th in the world. Alas, in the final, led by a waza-ari very quickly, Blandine Pont was then hit in the right knee, before being surprised by the neutral Russian Kristina Dudina.

It nevertheless brings a first podium to France at these European Championships. A disappointing first day for the women's contingent. In less than 52kg, Astride Gneto failed in the quarter-finals against the Hungarian Reka Pupp, then in the repechage against the Cypriot Sofia Asvesta. In less than 57kg, the disappointment was double with the joint eliminations of Priscilla Gneto and Faiza Mokdar, both in the round of 16.