Golden Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard avenging for Paris

At the second day of the Grand Slam in Tel Aviv Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard (CAN) and Maylin Del Toro Carvajal (CUB) proved to be the most fit today, when both qualified for the final after matches U63kg where they sometimes had to draw on deeply buried reserves.

Olympic and world medallist Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard had an advantage on paper when compared with her opponent. Despite a first shido for not gripping, Maylin Del Toro Carvajal was the first to attack but for no score. She was definitely not afraid but the first score did come from the Canadian judoka, who applied an almost perfect kata-guruma. Following that brilliant action, she continued on the ground to eventually unfold Del Toro's arm to conclude with an armlock for ippon. Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard was the strongest today, without any doubt.

Beauchemin-Pinard can now boast having won six Grand Slam medals, including three gold. However, today’s was her first on this circuit since 2021. She therefore savoured each of her victories in Israel.

“I was disappointed with my fifth-place finish in Paris, so I’m really happy to have turned things around and made a comeback today,” stated the gold medallist.

In the grand final, she defeated Cuba’s Maylin Del Toro Carvajal, who was the one to deprive her of a spot on the third step of the podium two weeks ago, at the Paris Grand Slam.

“In going for this medal, I felt a bit like I was avenging myself. I could see the error I had made in Paris, and I didn’t want to let it happen again. I avoided contact with her and I kept my distance. I concentrated on my own judo and on avoiding her traps.”

The strategy seems to have paid off. The Québécoise scored a waza-ari by throwing her opponent to the ground a minute and forty seconds into the fight. Then, after several more efforts on the floor, she grabbed Del Toro Carvajal’s arm, forcing her to give up and scoring an ippon for the win.

Beauchemin-Pinard, the current runner-up world champion, began the tournament by defeating Anja Obradobic of Serbia by ippon in overtime. She then disposed of Laura Fazliu of Kosovo and Katharina Haecker of Australia by ippon, in less than two minutes each.

“My first fight of the day was hard. I had trouble knocking her down, but I found an opening on the ground, which allowed me to win. In my other fights, I was ready for anything! With each of my opponents, I had something to prove, so I’m really happy.”

Laura Fazliu (KOS) and Gili Sharir (ISR) qualified for the first match for a bronze medal. Despite the incredible support received by Gili Sharir, she couldn't reward it and had to bow out, offering the victory to Laura Fazliu for Kosovo.

The second bronze medal contest was disputed by Lucy Renshall (GBR) and Katharina Haecker (AUS). Lucy Renshall gave no chance to Katharina Haecker, after she pinned her to win her ninth medal in a grand slam.

It was also the day of the comeback of Clarisse Agbégnénou (FRA) after a long break in her career, ever since the last Olympic Games. Her prize list and her desire to return to the top level in the world, really lead us only to admiration, but we must have just as much admiration for those who, in the absence of the queen of the category, but she finished with a seventh place in Tel Aviv, at least two judoka were better on the tatami than Agbégnénou: Katharina Haecker (AUS) and Laura Fazliu (KOS).

Beauchemin-Pinard reaching the final today, having dropped under the Kosovan with a seoi-otoshi, was caught very nicely, especially because we know this is her normal modus operandi. She is proof of the value of a work ethic and again also supports the legitimacy and accuracy of the ranking list. She was the number 1 seed and finished the day on the top of the podium.