Budapest (AFP)

Of course, there is the Olympics six weeks from now in Tokyo and with them a great possibility of revenge.

But the French Madeleine Malonga was moved and bitter Friday after losing her title of world champion in -78kg, abandoned in the final in Budapest to the German Anna Maria Wagner.

"Soon there are the Olympics. It shows me that I still have work to do to get out of Tokyo with a smile. At each exit, we find avenues of work, things to improve", she said first assured after his final lost against Wagner, dominating from the start of the fight and finally victorious by waza-ari in the golden-score.

But Malonga had not come to Budapest only to polish his form before the Olympics or for a silver medal.

"I got a taste for this red bib, I don't want to let it go," she said before the tournament, referring to the privilege granted to the reigning world champions.

"I'm obviously disappointed. It's not that I don't like to lose, it's that I like to win too much. It really hurts me. It was important to me to succeed in this competition and to keep my red bib. . I'm really disappointed, "she finally confessed, struggling to hold back her tears.

Like Clarisse Agbegnenou, gold medalist Wednesday in -63 kg, Malonga had chosen to come to compete in these Worlds despite their incongruous positioning on the road to Tokyo.

Because as the now five-time world champion, Malonga wanted to keep and honor her title.

Friday, the Frenchwoman, who also has two European coronations to her list (2018 and 2020), began with a first fight against the Croatian Karla Prodan, finally beaten on waza-ari.

- white cabbage in men -

She was then expeditious in the quarterfinals against the Ukrainian Anastasiya Turchyn, with a success by ippon in less than 40 seconds on uchi mata (inside mowing).

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It is again by ippon (on o uchi gari) that Malonga won in the semi-final, after less than two minutes of fight against the formidable Dutch Guusje Steenhuis, vice-world champion in 2018, vice-champion of the 'Europe in April and N.7 in the world ranking.

But in the final, against Wagner, world No. 3 and victorious this year in two Grand Slams, in Tel Aviv and Kazan, she never found the solution.

Enterprising and aggressive, to the point of pushing Malonga back into the billboards, the German has logically imposed herself on waza-ari in overtime.

"I was not too successful in imposing my guard and there it was. I was in trouble today, it was not easy. But that's the competition, when it comes to the championships of the world, we know that it will not be easy. I was not up to the task, that's how it is, ”explained the fighter from Blanc-Mesnil.

From Budapest, Malonga thus leaves with a second world medal, but also with a defeat that remains through his throat.

In Tokyo, she will want to get rid of it.

Malonga's medal is therefore the second for the France team at the Budapest Worlds.

But there will be none for the men since the last two entered, Alexandre Iddir and Cyrille Maret in the -100 kg, were beaten without reward on Friday.

Maret was eliminated in the first round while Iddir, who will be in Tokyo this summer, was beaten in the first repechage bout.

Saturday, two French women are engaged in the +78 kg category, Léa Fontaine and Julia Tolofua.

© 2021 AFP