11 October 2009

French women outclass Russians in the medal tally

France have again gained two gold medals at the women’s World Cup in Minsk. Yesterday the French team also won two gold medals. In the U63kg category Anne Laure Poli again took a medal. This year is a success story winning four medals in row at World Cups. On Sunday she collected her first gold medal after ending on the silver spot in Lisbon, and bronze in Madrid and Birmingham.
Poli defeated the Russian U23 champion Alina Pukhova in the final. Poli had to win five matches to win the gold.

One category higher British Sally Conway was Sunday’s winner defeating another French, Mylene Chollet who recently won the British Open. Conway however was the paper favourite in advance due to her fifth position at the World Championships in Rotterdam.

Anastasia Matrosova (UKR) is always good in Minsk. She won the tournament in Minsk for the fourth time and is the absolute record holder. Matrosova beat her compatriot Victoria Turks (UKR) in the final.

France won a second gold medal by means of Rebecca Ramanich who defeated Sarah Adlington by ippon. After Ramanich her two bronze medals this year in Madrid and Birmingham this gold medal will be cherished. It was her first ever gold medal at a World Cup. Ramanich was a bronze medallist at the World Junior Championships in 2002, was finally paid out with gold. In 2004 at the age of 20 she was in the final of the Tournoi de Paris where she lost to the giant Liu Huanyuan. But today she tasted the gold for the first time.
Ramanich compensated the first French loss against a British opponent earlier today, this time GB World Cup winner Adlington was not able to collect a second British victory.

France won the medal table staying ahead of Russia who won a total of 8 medals, but just one was coloured in gold. France also collected 8 medals, half of them in gold, that was the difference.