Paris 2024: Silver lining for Sandrine Martinet as Paris hails Para judo hero
Also memorable medals for Kazakhstan's Sherzod Namozov and Kapil Parmar of India on first day of Para judo 05 Sep 2024
It wasn’t quite the fairytale homecoming she would have dreamed of, but Paris-born Para judo star Sandrine Martinet still earned the adulation of her crowd as she took silver in the women’s –48kg J2 final at the Paris 2024 Paralympics.
Roared on from the moment she entered the atmospheric Champ de Mars Arena, Martinet was up against the reigning world champion Akmaral Nauatbek from Kazakhstan, who at 25 is 16 years Martinet’s junior.
It was a formidable challenge in front of a judoka competing in her sixth Paralympic Games, and with three silvers and one gold, from Rio 2016, already to her name.
Ultimately it proved just beyond her, as two waza-ari, in the space of just over two minutes, sealed the contest for Nauatbek.
After a moment of almost stunned silence, the partizan crowd rose to their feet again to acknowledge Martinet’s magnificent effort, and a career that has captured the imagination of the nation.
‘Incredible memories’
“It is the most magnificent medal of the five medals I’ve got,” Martinet reflected immediately after the contest. “It has been extremely difficult to get it because I had big health issues for a year. It's been really, really hard to be here.
“She (Nauatbke) has really been the best since she entered the circuit. I don't have any regrets. The public have been amazing, everyone around me has been fantastic during all my preparation. I will keep incredible memories from that, and I am very, very proud of this beautiful silver medal.”
In a city where the Parisian public has treated every French athlete as a hero, few are adored as deeply as Martinet. Her arrival onto the mat was greeted with a cauldron of noise and passionate flag waving, along with choruses of “Sandrine, Sandrine” and “Allez les Bleus” as she fitting wore the blue judogi.
But she fell behind the skilled Nauatkeb after 48 seconds, and the decisive moment came just under two minutes later.
Asked what comes next for her, Martinet responded, “The future, it will be first to enjoy this beautiful medal with my kids, my family, my friends, the French team, each and every person who has contributed to this medal.
“Truly celebrate it because it is magnificent. After that, have a good break before going back to work to go and fetch a few more medals.”
Landmark gold for Kazakhstan
Her opponent and gold medal winner Nauatbek also appreciated the boisterous crowd, despite their love for Martinet. "It was fantastic,” Nauatbek said. “French people love judo, so thank you to everyone.
"I was a little nervous, but now that the contest is over it feels amazing. Having the crowd against me made me more excited to win.
"Also, because in Kazakhstan we never had a Paralympic champion in judo, so I am very happy. And also, very tired."
Martinet’s hopes of reaching the decider had earlier hung by a thread when she trailed China’s Li Liging with just 53 seconds of their semi-final remaining. But she recovered to send the contest into Golden Score, where she secured an Ippon to the delight of the Champ de Mars Arena.
Ultimate win for Uzbekistan
It was a day that ended with Uzbekistan’s Sherzod Namozov sealing his second Para judo gold in the men’s –60kg J2, adding to the title that he won at Rio 2016.
In a tense final against Georgia’s Zurab Zurabiani, Namozov earned the decisive waza-ari to raise his hands in delight at the end.
Earlier Namozov progressed to the semi-final stage by defeating Spain’s Luis Daniel Gavilan Lorenzo, and then took just 17 seconds to secure the Ippon that eliminated Republic of Korea’s Lee Minjae.
Bounce-back bronze
India’s Kapil Parmar arrived in Paris as the world No.1 ranked judoka in the J1 -60kg category and having won a host of IBSA (International Blind Sports Federation) Grand Prix titles.
But his hopes of a Paralympic gold medal ended at the semi-final stage. Parmar was beaten by Islamic Republic of Iran’s Seyed Meysam Banitaba Khoram Abadi, who was then edged out in a gripping gold medal contest by Abdelkader Bouamer of Algeria in the men’s –60kg J1 category.
Parmar did recover to clinch a bronze medal by beating Brazil’s Elieton de Oliveira inside the first minute of their contest.
Other gold medal winners on the opening day of Para judo competition were Ukraine’s Natliya Nikolaychyk in the women’s J1 –48kg and China’s Shi Yijie in the women’s J1 –57kg.
