Romain Valadier-Picard (22) created the first feeling of this first day of the Budapest Worlds by offering the silver medal in the under 60kg. The first medal for a Frenchman in the category since 1991.
The French team has been waiting for this for 34 years. Romain Valadier-Picard, at 22, ended on Friday at the Budapest Worlds at 34 years of scarcity for the Blues in his category: the 60kg.
The young Parisian judoka who had already been talked about this year by winning Paris Grand Slam last February on the tatami of the Accor Arena, did not climb on the highest step of the podium of these world championships which knew their first day on Friday, a day without for Shirine Boukli. He nevertheless created an incredible sensation by finishing in second place and thus offering himself his very first silver medal (but also his first medal).
To hope to adorn yourself with the most beautiful metal that is and thus go up to the roof of the world for the first time in his life, the bronze medalist of the European championships two years ago, which opened the doors of a first semi-final at this level by having a little earlier of the Russian Ayub Bliev, was to end this crazy day for him in apotheosis by adding a new and ultimate victory to his journey against Ryuju Nagayama in the final.
34 years after Philippe Pradayrol!
The Japanese had started his fight badly by quickly scoping with a penalty, but that did not disturb him or destabilized. And after taking advantage of one of the rare openings left by our young representative to take the advantage over a Waza-Ari, the future winner, however much less aggressive than Valadier-Picard, ended the work in stride on an Ippon.
The double bronze medalist at the Worlds among juniors has no regrets to have. Having become the first Frenchman since Philippe Pradayrol in 1991 to climb on the podium of this category in which he evolved in recent years of young people already, “RVP” would certainly have signed to rise to the final of these Worlds, even to tilt to the finish. And in large letters in addition.
