French judoka Clarisse Agbégnénou, flag bearer for the French delegation in Tokyo, won the gold medal in the women's -63 kg weight class on Tuesday by defeating Slovenian Tina Trstenjak in the final. She gives France its second Olympic gold medal.
In tears almost immediately after her victory, Clarisse Agbégnénou fell into the arms of her opponent, for a hug full of respect between the two champions: it was Slovenian Tina Trstenjak who had beaten her in 2016 in the -63 kg final in Rio, paving the way for five years of mission.
A few seconds before, she had just sent Trstenjak to the mat for a waza-ari move in the golden score of that final.
"It's incredible, to get my revenge five years later, I couldn't have wished for anything better. I was on a mission to get this gold medal, it was not easy, I don't have the words", the Olympic champion told France Télévisions.
🇫🇷 🥇 Clarisse Agbégnénou remporte le titre olympique en dominant Tina Trstenjak au golden score et prend sa revanche sur la Slovène qui l'avait battue à Rio #Tokyo2020 #JeuxOlympiques
— France tv sport (@francetvsport) July 27, 2021
Suivez les J.O. en direct ▶ https://t.co/DbgV1naW1I pic.twitter.com/ogzOZNosCr
With this title, Agbégnénou completes an exceptional list of achievements, which also includes five world and as many European championships.
Italy's Maria Centracchio and Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard of Canada were awarded bronze medals.
The French team now have six medals in the Tokyo Olympics, including two gold (Agbégnénou and Romain Cannone in epee), two silver (Amandine Buchard and Sarah-Léonie Cysique, both in judo) and two bronze (Manon Brunet in sabre and Luka Mhkeidze in judo).
Romain Cannone won France’s first gold medal of the Games on July 25, beating Gergely Siklosi of Hungary 15-10 in the men’s épée final.
