What if this was the season for US Orléans Loiret JJ? With the quarter-final against Montpellier Judo Olympic just around the corner, all the lights are green for the Loiret club, a historic structure in French judo, which has decided to launch a new cycle with this new Olympiad. The idea is to revive its glorious past. Founded in 1978, the club has built up an outstanding track record over the years: Ten Olympic medals, two more at the Paralympic Games, for Marc Alexandre in Seoul in 1988 and Sandrine Martinet in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, but also sixty-two world medals and eleven European Club Cups won by both men and women, proof of the importance of team events for the club, which renewed a large part of its workforce last summer, particularly with a view to this Judo Pro League.

" We have recruited young athletes who are already familiar with the very high level, explains Maëlle Di Cintio, club president and four-time French senior champion.. They already proved their worth at the French championships in early November, with a title in the -48kg class for Anaïs Perrot, three silver medals for Martha Fawaz in the -57kg class, Arnaud Aregba in the -81kg class and Max Laborde in the -90kg class, as well as three fifth-place finishes. This recruitment is part of a long-term strategy, as we hope to accompany them at least as far as the Los Angeles Games.. " These vital forces didn't miss their debut in the USO colors in this new edition of the Judo Pro League either, helping their club to second place at the end of the elimination phase. " A position in line with our plan, since we're aiming, at the very least, to qualify for the Final Four. This would give us even more publicity, just as our first rounds played at home undoubtedly contributed, in the wake of the Games, to attracting people to the dojo, enabling us to recently break our membership record with 722 members! The club needed to revitalize itself, and the Pro League is one of the vectors of this strategy. Enthusiasm for the competition has risen crescendo: more and more spectators are coming to the event, and links with institutional bodies - city, département, region - are being strengthened. The Judo Pro League has become a great showcase for the club and our discipline! "

Despite a loss to Normandie Judo and the absence of several of its leaders, who had left to compete in the Tokyo Grand Slam, the Loiret team earned a place of choice in the elimination phase, and is showing its ambitions for the 2024 edition of the Judo Pro League.

 

About the match US Orléans Judo Loiret vs Montpellier Judo Olympic

For their first quarter-final in 3 Pro League appearances, Montpellier Judo Olympic travel to Orléans. The Orléans franchise impressed during the elimination phase with three consecutive victories - against Dojo Nantais, JC Chilly-Mazarin Morangis and Arts Martiaux Asnières Judo 92 - featuring a sparkling Lili Nguyen (-63kg): four wins in as many matches, including three ippons, while Arnaud Aregba and Max Laborde, with three wins by ippon in as many matches, remain unbeaten for the time being. Three leaders of a very homogeneous, young and quality group, who approach this quarter-final, against the sixth-placed team of the elimination phase, with ambition.

In addition to the above-mentioned Orléan champions, Montpellier will be joined by Hugo Metifiot (-90kg), the 2023 French champion, and Angel Gustan, the new phenomenon in the +100kg category. The Orléans-based club will be favourites in this opposition, even if they have to be wary of a franchise.