Fifth Paris victory for Audrey Tcheumeo

The category U78kg at the Grand Slam of Paris was almost a carbon copy of the U70kg category. Neither the Japanese and Olympic champion, Shori Hamada nor the German and Olympic champion, Anna Maria Wagner travelled to Paris but there was the French Madeleine Malonga, former world champion, who last year lost the world and Olympic finals against Hamada and Wagner. They are the three best.

In the absence of the first two, Malonga was the clear favourite, but it was also her first competition since the Olympics. She was unlucky or unable to find Korean Jeongyun Lee's weaknesses and went home as soon as she arrived. With Malonga out of action, a totally different tournament began. The most intelligent were the Japanese Mami Umeki and the French Audrey Tcheumeo. Umeki is the fourth leg of the chair, along with Wagner, Malonga and Hamada. Tcheumeo was Olympic runner-up in Rio. They know what it means to be on top. 

14 seconds later Tcheumeo was already ahead with sumi-gaeshi. Umeki hadn't quite woken up and when she did, it was already too late. The French athlete controlled the time and won. France 2, Japan 0 and fifth title in Paris for Tcheumeo.

The bronzes were for Malonga, who came from the playoffs and her executioner in the first round, Jeongyun Lee. They defeated Hyunji Yoon of Korea and Emma Reid of Great Britain.

The five victories of Tcheumeo in Paris

In twelve editions since 2011 Tcheumeo won Paris five times in: 2011, 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022. Eight victories for the French since then as also Lucie Louette and Madeleine Malonga (2) took two gold medals.