With only a few months to go before the Paris Olympic Games, Monaco hosted the 28th International Judo Tournament this past weekend at the Stade Louis II. On 10 December at 9am, the ASM Team’s gym was transformed into a dojo for the close-combat event in the Gaston Medicin room.
Judo originally comes from Japan, so it’s fitting that Japan’s own Kokugakuin University was victorious. Judo was created in 1882 by combining jujutsu with elements of mental discipline. It was was first included in the Summer Olympic Games in 1964 in Tokyo. With the Paris 2024 Games just around the corner, the stakes were high for many participants of the Monaco International Judo Tournament, which helped determine who will qualify for the Olympics.
Eleven teams comprised of seven competitors per team came from France, Ukraine, Italy and other countries. Facing one another on the mats, the final was between Japan’s Kokugakuin University and Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois, who competed against one another at 4pm. The final score was 4-3 for Japan and the team was presented with the prestigious Gérard-Bertrand Trophy.
Judo Club of Monaco shines
The Judo Club of Monaco did very well, losing 4-3 against the Japanese champions. They finally came in third place in their group, behind Japan and Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois, the first and second-place teams.
France’s bronze medallist to compete in 2024 Olympics
During the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan won gold with China winning silver and France’s Luka Mkheidze winning bronze. Judo competitions at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris are scheduled to run from 27 July to 3 August at the Grand Palais Éphémère in Champ de Mars. 372 athletes will compete in seven weight categories for both women and men.
Born in 1996, Luka Mkheidze first represented France in Judo at the 2020 Olympics and will be returning for the Paris Games to try and win gold in his home country. In total, 10 athletes are expected to represent France in Judo at the 2024 Olympics.
