Judo

Romane Dicko clinched the bronze medal in the over 78kg category this Sunday in Tbilisi. Despite feeling disappointed after being eliminated in the quarter-finals of the European Championships, the Clamart native had to settle for third place. “When I compete, it’s to win,” she told L’Equipe. “So obviously, it’s tough. It’s the harsh reality of sports.” Acknowledging that “you can’t win all the time,” she plans to learn from this setback for future competitions. “I have things to work on even more so it doesn’t happen again,” she added. “So, very frustrated with this day.”

Dicko did not come to Tbilisi aiming for a sixth continental title, but rather to win a competition, taking one fight at a time. “I have the lucidity to realize that there’s not everything to throw away,” affirmed Romane Dicko. She was joined on the podium by her compatriot Léa Fontaine.

Moreover, Lea Fontaine won the silver medal after being defeated in the final by Israeli Raz Hershko. “I’m really ‘happy for her,'” she said, finding this experience very challenging. “I take it as positively as possible to bring us all to the best possible ranking for the upcoming Olympic Games in Los Angeles.” Dicko sees this as a mere obstacle on the road, which they will take time to overcome smoothly for success at the World Championships. Her opponents have been put on notice.