Tokyo (AFP)

"With my guts": at 26, Clarisse Agbegnenou (-63 kg) became the first French judoka crowned four times world champion after a fierce fight of more than eleven minutes against the Japanese Miku Tashiro, Wednesday in Tokyo, one year from the 2020s in the Japanese capital.

Already crowned in 2014, 2017 and 2018, Agbegnenou now exceeds the tricolor trio composed of Lucie Décosse, Gévrise Emane and Brigitte Deydier, titled them three times.

"It's more than them when I saw them already incredibly high, I'm honored," she greets the microphone of the channel L'Equipe.

Agbegnenou joins heavyweight David Douillet, who was also crowned four times, between 1993 and 1997. Only the unmissable Teddy Riner caracole far ahead, with his ten world championship titles conquered between 2007 and 2017.

"By starting Judo, I would never have imagined that ... If I had been told: + Clarisse, you bet you'll win once, okay, but four times, I would have said that's wrong not in your head? + ", smiles the still trembling voice of emotion who is also double vice-champion of the world (2013 and 2015).

- Launched to the OJ-2020 -

Beyond the historical significance for the French judo of this fourth star - which will now adorn her judogi - this new coronation ideally launches the 2016 Olympic vice champion and four-time European champion to the 2020 Olympics in the Japanese capital. next summer.

World No. 1 in its category, Agbegnenou is now undefeated for twenty months. His last defeat goes back to mid-December 2017, precisely against Tashiro (in the semifinals of the Masters).

Since her defeat in the Olympic final three years ago, the French fighter has won everything that matters or almost: world gold in 2017, 2018 and 2019, and European gold in 2018 and 2019. Only the 2017 vintage has escaped, to cause of an injury during competition.

On the carpets of Nippon Budokan, the room located in the heart of Tokyo that will host the Olympic judo events in eleven months, Agbegnenou first flew over the first part of the competition. To reach the final four, she sent two of her first bouts in less than fifteen seconds (against Schlesinger and Liao), and the third in just over a minute (against Awiti Alcaraz).

- "Not stolen" -

The final against Tashiro, N.3 world and already vice-champion of the outgoing world, was on the other hand an exhausting and unbreathable duel: penalized twice, against one for his Japanese opponent, Agbegnenou ended up knocking down Tashiro after more than seven minutes in the golden score, the extension after the four minutes of fighting, to win by waza-ari. What immediately ripped her - like her rival, she too at the end of the effort - tears.

"It was very, very hard, I'm so happy to have done it, I'm always the one that's expected, and here I really went with my guts at the end," says Agbegnenou.

"I managed to get it when it was hard, I know we're just waiting to chop my head in. But I do not give up even when it's hard, the fourth (star), I do not I did not steal it, I'm proud of myself, "she continues.

"Seven minutes of golden score, I'll remember it all my life Tashiro, I'm waiting for him, waiting for him and waiting for him At the Games, I know what to expect, it's good to have a good preparation like that, especially mentally, "she projected.

On the fourth day of competition, Agbegnenou offers the passage to the Blues their first medal of the week Tokyo. Side men, Alpha Djalo (-81 kg) fell to him since his second fight.

© 2019 AFP