Olympic Games Tokyo 2021 – Judo: “I feel light”, Clarisse Agbegnenou has finally finished with her Olympic quest

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From our special correspondent in Tokyo,

A moment to freak you out and almost bring up tears, as very rarely happens, even in a competition like the Olympics. We will remember for a long time that second when Clarisse Agbegnenou overthrew Tina Trstenjak to afford this title that she so missed, Tuesday evening in the legendary Budokan in Tokyo. A second suspended in the air, as in slow motion, where we see the judokate burst into tears on the chest of her opponent, while the French delegation can no longer shout its joy in the stands. At the edge of the tatami, Larbi Benboudaoub does not try to contain himself. “I thought of the kid I saw arrive a long time ago, and the ten years spent in her coach chair,” he said a little later.

The decisive moment. – Jack GUEZ / AFP

The five-time world and European champion finally holds this Olympic gold medal, five years after leaving Rio in silver and “devastated”. “I don’t even know what I did anymore [comme mouvement pour l’emporter]. It was too much emotion, she says, laughing after having picked it up. She is magnificent ! When I saw them in pictures, I told myself that I absolutely needed one. She is so beautiful, she shines so much… I am proud. “

On her face, the tears gave way to a huge smile, which you can easily guess despite the mask. “I feel light,” she breathes. When I win, I say to myself “this is it Clarisse, it’s over, you can breathe, you did it”. It is the realization of all these years of work, of pain, of sorrow, of smiles, of joy, of love, of hatred. I thought of my family, which is far away, of all the people who supported me, of the girls on the team who were great, of… ”

She does not finish her sentence, but with her hand which rises and goes away, we understood the idea. It is because this gold medal was declared a great national cause in Tokyo. In the morning, the fencers passed a head to encourage him. The flag bearer received countless messages of support. In the stands, the full staff and its partners from the France team, apart from Axel Clerget and Margaux Pinot (in contention on Wednesday), were present. Romane Dicko, sent back to the village the day before by the staff who feared that she would burn too much energy by shouting behind her great friend Sarah-Léonie Cysique (she fought on Friday), this time had the right to stay until the end. Absolutely everyone wanted to see Clarisse triumph, having seen her fall very low a little over a year ago.

“I felt powerful, untouchable”

“It was our leader and it was she who suffered the most with this postponement,” recalls Benboudaoub. “I did not think I could be so affected,” observes the person concerned, mortified at the idea of ​​having to wait another year to conquer the last title missing from her unparalleled record. “But if I had to go through that to win this medal, I will do it again,” she adds. In any case, this suffering did not have its place during this day, which Agbegnenou controlled from start to finish. Helmet on the ears before entering the tatami (afro trap, for those who want to try), she never let herself be eaten by the pressure. “I was singing, I was really into my music. It gave me good vibes, I was good, like at home. I felt powerful, untouchable. “

Even when she was sanctioned first with a penalty in the final, she did not panic. “I told her to make it last, that it would necessarily turn out for her,” says her trainer. Clarisse has taken such a psychological advantage over all her opponents in recent years… ”

The Rio medal will be able to come out of its box

To realize the respect imposed by the Frenchwoman, and the expectation that this title aroused, you just have to turn to them. His victim in the second round, Sandrine Billet, was proud to have been swept away by the legend. “To shoot against Clarisse, I am upset,” said the Cape Verdean. I would have written a little page in what I hope will be a big day for her. We also saw Tina Trstenjak very moved to pass on her title to her best rival. The hug between the two women at the end of the fight, sort of looping five after the Slovenian victory in Rio, was worth all the talk in the world.

Relieved, fulfilled, accomplished, Clarisse Agbegnenou will now be able to enjoy, before thinking about what to do next. “I don’t know what I’m going to do. I am going to take the time, already, to celebrate all the medals that I have not celebrated. This one in particular, I’m going to celebrate it for a while, ”she announces. But before that, she has one last thing to do: get her silver medal brought back from Brazil out of the box she had kept it locked in all these years. “I’m going to be able to appreciate it now,” she breathes.





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