France takes the European team title

At the Mixed team European Championships in Mulhouse the French team have taken the European title in a full house after a faultless tournament.

The French were victorious against Ukraine by 4-0, against Turkey in the semi final with 4-1 and then 4-1 against the Netherlands, France won their first European mixed team title in a Palais des Sports.

In the final France was opposed to a team from the Netherlands led by the world number one Sanne Van Dijke and the 2022 European Champion Jur Spijkers, the French team began the match with the victory of Julia Tolofua (+70kg). Supported by the entire public at the Palais des Sports, the Frenchwoman who was dismissed for several years at ACS Peugeot-Mulhouse, puts ippon on the 2021 World Junior Champion Marit Kamps. Emre Sanal (+90kg), crowned French champion last weekend, is surprised by the reigning European Champion Jur Spijkers. It is then the turn of Priscilla Gneto (-57kg) to get on the tatami. Our Olympic medalist takes 45 seconds to regain the advantage for the French team. Benjamin Axus (-73kg) continued his clear course by winning over Matthijs Van Harten before Margaux Pinot (-70kg) set the Palais des Sports ablaze by causing Sanne Van Dijke to fall twice. A seoi nage gave Pinot the first waza ari and then a powerful, driving ko soto sent Van Dijke down for ippon, and as you can imagine, the crowd went nuts.

In the semi-final, France met Turkey. First points are first scored by Loris Tassier (-90kg) against Omer Aydin, and Léa Fontaine (+70kg) against the European bronze medalist Sebile Akbulut. Joseph Terhec (+90kg) then lost to penalties against Munir Ertug. Opposed to Hasret Bozkurt, Faïza Mokdar (-57kg) gives the 3rd point to the French team. Benjamin Axus (-73kg) concluded the meeting by scoring the victory ippon which propels the French team into the final in their way to gold.