World champion in the -73kg class last June in Budapest, Joan-Benjamin Gaba is one of the nominees by the International Federation (IJF) for the title of judoka of the year.
After causing a sensation last summer at the Paris Olympic Games, crowned with two medals (silver in -73kg, gold in the mixed team), Joan-Benjamin Gaba had a very good year in 2025. Bronze medalist for Podgorica at the European Championships, the native of Chesnay won the supreme title of World Champion last June in Bucharest.
Thanks to his eccentric but technically effective judo, Joan-Benjamin Gaba was logically nominated by the International Judo Federation to perhaps become the best judoka of the year. But to win this prestigious title, the Frenchman faces formidable opponents in his quest. While one member is chosen for each weight category, Joan-Benjamin Gaba will therefore have in competition against him the Japanese Ryuju Nagayawa (-60 kg), Takeshi Takeoka (-66 kg), Sanshiro Murao (-90 kg) and the Russians (who were then still fighting under the neutral banner) Timur Arbuzov (-81 kg), Matvey Kanikovskiy (-100 kg) and Inal Tasoev (+100 kg).
Pont and Cancan rewarded?
As for the female judokas of the French Team, none rose to the top of their category to hope to be elected judokate of the year. However, there are two nominated in two other categories, since on the hopeful side, Célia Cancan is one of the nominees. European and world champion in junior (+78kg), the 19-year-old judokate blended perfectly into the deep end among seniors by winning the Grand Prix of Austria and Zagreb.
The other nominee is Blandine Pont (-52 kg) who could be crowned with the title of ippon of the year. Her sublime ippon seoi nage achieved during the Grand Slam of Douchambé in Tajikistan against the Chinese Yao Yuhong therefore allows her to claim this prize. She even faces seventeen other contenders who also hope to win the bet. For all these awards, spectators have until January 15 to vote for their favorites.
