Charlie Thibault had a very full schedule over the previous three days, as she competed within the cadet, junior, and senior classes on the Centre Pierre-Charbonneau. On Sunday, she introduced the weekend to a detailed in sensible vogue, capturing a 3rd medal: silver within the under-70 kg weight division on the Pan-American Open in Montréal.
Having already gained a silver medal within the cadet match and gold within the junior class, Thibault was eager to wrap up her first senior competitors with a flourish.
Within the huge ultimate, she was pitted towards Eire’s Rachael Hawkes, an skilled athlete who gained silver ultimately 12 months’s Pan-American Open in Montréal.
Hawkes scored a waza-ari with 50 seconds left to go within the match. Thibault made a valiant try to get on the scoreboard, however Hawkes succeeded in defending her lead.
“I did a very good job of controlling the battle, however within the one second I let my guard down, she was capable of rating,” defined Thibault, who had been nervous in regards to the ultimate. “My opponent was very robust bodily, however I feel I did fairly properly, nonetheless. Particularly for a cadet!”
She gained towards Melissa Myers et Isabela Garriga earlier than the ultimate. In Thibault’s opinion, her glorious efficiency in Montréal will permit her to make speedy progress sooner or later, enabling her to as soon as once more compete towards her sport’s elite athletes in future competitions.
“Issues went rather well this weekend! [After my first two medals], I felt very assured, and I informed myself I may get onto the rostrum as soon as once more, although the senior stage is a complete totally different ball sport! I’m the one Canadian competing in my class, and since I did properly within the different tournaments, I knew I may deal with it. Ultimately, I did higher than I anticipated!” concluded Thibault.
Coralie Godbout additionally put in a formidable efficiency on the Centre Pierre-Charbonneau, successful the under-78 kg silver medal in her bout towards Nicole Stout. Marianna Karas and Amanda McAlpine gained bronze medals within the over-78 kg division.
François Gauthier-Drapeau makes a profitable comeback
This weekend, François Gauthier-Drapeau participated in his first competitors because the Paris Olympics—the primary Olympic Video games of his profession. The Québécois, who usually competes within the under-81 kg class, fought within the under-90 kg division on Saturday.
Within the huge ultimate, he took on Alexander Knauf of the USA, who injured his shoulder after a minute and thirty seconds of fight, conceding the win to Gauthier-Drapeau.
“It felt good to participate in a match as soon as once more. It had been a very long time! However I couldn’t resist a match like this one, basically proper in my yard! It’s unlucky that my opponent was injured in the course of the ultimate, however total, the match was nice,” mentioned Gauthier-Drapeau.
The 26-year-old athlete ousted Bearach Gleeson of Eire early within the competitors, earlier than defeating Guillaume Gaulin to advance to the semi-finals. His win over Mohab ElNahas secured his spot within the huge ultimate.
“I fought some very high-level opponents, whom I do know properly and who’re excellent. I had a number of ups and downs throughout my fights. Typically issues went properly, different instances not a lot. Since I do know the opposite judokas properly, I knew I used to be able to successful, however I additionally knew I needed to put in a robust efficiency,” defined Gauthier-Drapeau, who will now start getting ready for the Tokyo Grand Slam.
Alex Marineau and Mohab ElNahas additionally gained medals within the under-90 kg class. They each captured bronze after successful their ultimate bouts of the day.
Within the under-81 kg ultimate, Keagan Younger wanted solely 35 seconds to clinch the match. The Ontarian shortly launched an assault towards Johan Silot of the USA, successful by chokehold. Earlier, he had defeated Canadians Yuriy Semenyuk, Lasha Tsatsalashvili, and Solomon Choran.
Given the depth of the Canadian area, the class’s two bronze medals have been additionally gained by judokas from north of the forty ninth: David Popovici and Warren Seib.
Nick Luchkin gained bronze within the under-100 kg division, after defeating his compatriot Michael Akbashev.
The Montréal Pan-American Open got here to a detailed on a excessive word, with a spectacular victory for John Jr. Messé A Bessong within the over-100 kg ultimate. The Québécois scored a strong ippon towards Nice Britain’s Daniel Ede, utilizing a manoeuvre that had the spectators on their ft.
A minimum of twelve medals have been added to the senior Canadian group’s haul on the Centre Pierre-Charbonneau. On Saturday, they collected fourteen medals. Notably, Heidi Quach (-48 kg), Evelyn Beaton (-52 kg), and Luka Tsatsalashvili (-66 kg) gained gold of their respective classes.
