Budapest (AFP)
The French Madeleine Malonga (-78 kg), reigning world champion and world No. 1, qualified for the final of the World Judo Championships in Budapest on Friday and is therefore only one victory away from a second consecutive coronation.
Malonga, who will be competing this summer at the Tokyo Olympics, will face in the final the German Anna Maria Wagner, world No. 3 and victorious this year in two Grand Slams, in Tel Aviv and Kazan.
To qualify, the Frenchwoman started with a first fight against the Croatian Karla Prodan, finally beaten on waza-ari.
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).
It was again by ippon (on o uchi hari) that Malonga won in the semifinals, after less than two minutes of fighting 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.
© 2021 AFP