Paris (AFP)

The French judoka Alexandre Iddir obtained his first international medal in -100 kg, European bronze in this case, Sunday in Lisbon, a performance which consolidates his position as N.1 contender for the Olympic ticket at stake in the category.

Iddir lost in the quarterfinals against the world No.1, the Georgian Varlam Liparteliani (ippon), before coming out victorious in his next two fights in the golden score (the extension after the four regulatory minutes), that of repechage against the Portuguese Jorge Fonseca, then the one for a bronze medal against the Georgian Ilia Sulamanidze, each time by waza-ari.

This continental podium consolidates its place of N.1 French in -100 kg, while the men's Olympic selection must be unveiled shortly by the French staff.

His main rival, Cyrille Maret, recently returned to competition after suffering from a dislocated hip with ligament tearing in a serious road accident at the end of October, he ranked seventh, successively beaten in the quarter-finals, then in repechage.

"I do not have 36 medals in the European Championships, it was super important for me, I am very happy", reacted Iddir, without planning yet on the Tokyo Games (July 23-August 8).

The 30-year-old judoka had already won a European bronze medal in 2014, but then fought in the lower weight category (-90 kg).

In -78 kg, Fanny-Estelle Posvite is also on the third step of the podium, but the women's Olympic selection is already known, and it is Madeleine Malonga, world No. 1, 2019 world champion and European champion 2020, which will go to Tokyo.

Like Iddir, Posvite had already been a European bronze medalist in the lower weight category (-70 kg) she five years ago.

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