France had an excellent start of the Cadet World Championships in Sarajevo with two gold medals, one in the lightest category U50kg. Yahn Motoly Bongambe (FRA) was the first of the two French finalists of the day to qualify for the final, to face Sebestyen Kollar.
It was a final for strong kumi-kata specialists. Both Kollar and Motoly Bongambe seemed a little too stressed to show their best judo but after they were penalised with two shido each, the French athlete took advantage of the situation to be more active and condemn his opponent to a third penalty. France’s men‘s team wins a first gold medal in Sarajevo.
Sebestyen Kollar (HUN) is already a known name on the cadet circuit. He was the gold medallist at the Zagreb Cadet European Cup 2022, Teplice Cadet European Cup 2022 and the Bucharest Cadet European Cup this year and also took bronze at the European Championships Cadets in Porec, in June. He came to Sarajevo and was granted his rightful place as world number one, at the top of the sheet. He didn’t disappoint his fans or coaches from team Hungary as he qualified for the final of the category.
France has been trying, for a few years, to rebuild a generation of male champions who in the future will be capable or receiving the torch carried so high by athletes such as Teddy Riner or Axel Clerget. Building a successful group takes time.
