Canadian Judoka Earns Silver in Uzbekistan

Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard of Canada won a silver medal in the under 63 kg category at the Grand Slam in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on Saturday. Quebecer François Gauthier-Drapeau (-81 kg) also competed, but his journey ended in the round of 16.

Beauchemin-Pinard Reflects on Performance

Beauchemin-Pinard expressed satisfaction with her performance, especially considering a first-round loss in her previous competition in Tokyo. I’m happy because in my last competition in Tokyo, in December, I lost in the first round, so it feels good to get back on the podium. I wanted to finish with the gold medal, but the silver medal feels good too, she confided.

The final saw Beauchemin-Pinard defeated by Japan’s Narumi Tanioka, who secured victory with a yuko followed by an ippon. Canadian coach Januscz Pawlowski observed, As the minutes went by, we had the impression that the Japanese was faster and more confident in her actions.

Beauchemin-Pinard acknowledged areas for improvement, stating, I found that I had a very good grip, but that I didn’t connect enough attacks. I remained too static. Despite this, she remained positive about her preparation for future events, adding, I felt physically strong and I found that I was very present in my fights. It’s positive in my preparation for the future.

Road to the Final

Ranked second in the world in her category, Beauchemin-Pinard received a bye in the first round. She then decisively defeated China’s Jing Tang, throwing her rival to the ground after a minute and a half. In the quarter-finals, she quickly secured an ippon victory against Croatia’s Nina Simic in just 45 seconds.

Her semi-final bout against France’s Manon Deketer proved challenging. Pawlowski described Deketer as a tough opponent. Beauchemin-Pinard ultimately prevailed, winning by waza-ari in the final seconds of regulation time.

Gauthier-Drapeau’s Tournament Ends in Round of 16

François Gauthier-Drapeau (-81 kg) began his competition with a victory by ippon against Kazakhstan’s Askar Narkulov after five and a half minutes of fighting.

However, his tournament ended in the round of 16 against Russia’s Abdul-Kerim Tasuev. The match lasted over seven minutes and concluded with Gauthier-Drapeau receiving a third shido, resulting in disqualification.

Gauthier-Drapeau analyzed his defeat, I think my opponent came in with a very specific strategy to fight me and it worked. I tried to do my job, but I thought he was being defensive. He played penalties and strategy quite well. He went on the tactical side, then he wore me down and I lost on penalties. It’s boring, but it’s part of the sport. Pawlowski noted that Gauthier-Drapeau was well-prepared but needs to refine his speed and decision-making.

Canadian Success at Junior European Cup

Canadian judokas also achieved success at the Junior European Cup in Mostoles, Spain, on Saturday.

• Carla Van Zyl won gold in the under 63 kg category, winning all five of her bouts.
• Lowan Le Bris secured silver in the under 73 kg category, with four victories in five clashes.
• Charlie Thibault (-70 kg) won bronze, defeating compatriot Missy Jen Dorval Mbele in the bronze final.

Other Canadian competitors included Loic Beaton (-60 kg), Sebastien Fecteau, Eliandre Barriault-Tremblay, Jacob Element, and Maia Thomson (-63 kg).