This is the sixth time that the mixed team event has been on the program of the Worlds, and the sixth time that Japan has won the title. Les Bleus won their fifth silver medal in this event.

Without their two gold medalists of the week, Clarisse Agbégnénou and Teddy Riner left to rest, the French were equal with the Japanese but lost 4-3 at the end of a "golden match".

"The scenario at the end is catastrophic for us but for the public, it's ideal," said Christophe Massina, the head of the women's delegation. "Our sport allows us to experience crazy emotions, it's incredible!"

First to appear on the tatami, Joan-Benjamin Gaba first shocked the public of the Qatari capital by sending to the mat Soichi Hashimoto, bronze medalist of -73 kg this week, in 21 seconds. Romane Dicko, filmed in close-up in the stands with her hand over her mouth and wide-eyed, perfectly summed up the feeling of the Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiyah Arena.

"Hashimoto, I had already taken it twice and I had lost twice. There I said to myself +This time I will not lose+", explained Gaba.

France's Margaux Pinot against Japan's Saki Niizoe (white) in the mixed team final of the World Judo Championships on May 14, 2023 in Doha © KARIM JAAFAR / AFP

- "Big mistake!"

In the second fight, Margaux Pinot then showed impressive by beating the new -70kg world champion Saki Niizoe in the Golden Score, but Japan came back to 2-1 after Goki Tajima's victory over Maxime-Gaël Ngayap Hambou (-90kg) in overtime despite a committed match of the Frenchman.

Coralie Haymé, preferred to Dicko in +78 kg, then won the penalties after 6 min 20 sec of a bitter head-to-head fight against Maya Segawa. The France then led 3-1, one point away from the title.

The new Japanese sensation Tatsuru Saito (+100 kg) had to win to keep his team alive and the Nippon managed to crack Joseph Terhec on penalties, allowing Japan to return to 3-2.

Place to Sarah-Léonie Cysique, who could still offer victory to the Blues. After a flying start against Haruka Fukanubo validated by a waza-ari in less than thirty seconds, the Olympic vice-champion of -57 kg was trapped and immobilized at the end of the fight by the vice-champion of the world.

"I lead waza and there I make a big mistake," analyzed the Frenchwoman. "I let myself be carried away and in the craze I wanted to engage on the ground, except that on the ground, she is better than me. I was simply fooled."

Japan's Tatsuru Saito against France's Joseph Terhec in the mixed team final of the World Judo Championships on May 14, 2023 in Doha © KARIM JAAFAR / AFP

"A good omen"

In case of a tie after six fights, the decisive match is then fixed by a draw and it is Margaux Pinot, who had already lived this role at the Olympic Games, who had to get back on the mat. The 2020 European champion again fought a tough fight for 4 min 30 sec but ended up bending penalties moments after thinking she had scored an ippon, cancelled by the referee.

"I experienced an emotional elevator. I told myself that I had brought the point and that we had won and in the end the referee reverses his decision and it goes back for a round," said Pinot.

The Blues have still not beaten the Japanese in a world championship, even if they had dominated them at home in Tokyo during the Olympic Games two years ago.

"It's infuriating for the France team, especially since it's been several times that we are second against the Japanese. I hope this bodes well for the future. We will be able to move forward and see where it can take us: towards the gold medal, I hope."

France's Sarah-Leonie Cysique against Japan's Haruka Funakubu in the mixed team final of the World Judo Championships on May 14, 2023 in Doha © KARIM JAAFAR / AFP

The French left the Worlds with eight medals (2 gold, 4 silver and 2 bronze).

© 2023 AFP