Christophe Gagliano is the new France judo men's team head coach

Christophe Gagliano has been appointed as the new France men's national judo team head coach.

Gagliano, 54, is a former  French Olympian who claimed a bronze medal at the 1996 Olympic games in Atlanta.

In 1997 he was World Championships finallist and he won four European medals. Gagliano won the European title with the French team and he claimed several international tournaments in Rome, Den Bosch and Basel. At the Tournoi the Paris he won seven medals, but didn’t take a gold medal. In his time he fought with top athletes such as Kenzo Nakamura and Jimmy Pedro.

"I feel impatience and excitement to get involved in this project," Gagliano told L'Équipe.

"There is going to be a lot to reconsider and improve, but I see it as something exciting, rather than pressurised."