Taekwondo: French champion at home, 3MTKD athlete Omar El Yazidi delighted the FDI Stadium in Montpellier

Le coup de pied fatal d'Omar El Yazidi. FFTDA – Olivier Lespagnol

Organisés par son club, le 3MTKD, les championnats de France ont sacré Omar El Yazidi au milieu d’un week-end particulièrement réussi pour le taekwondo tricolore.

He is, without any possible doubt, the great man of these French championships. Omar El Yazidi (28 years old) was expected, he responded by ignoring the pressure inherent in fighting at home. On Saturday, the 3MTKD fighter became, once again, the fourth in a row, French champion in +87 kg.

Before starting the weekend, eyes were turned towards Pascal Gentil who took everyone by surprise by announcing an improbable comeback at 50, eight years after his last title national. It was even written that these two would meet in the final and that the truth of the tatami would speak. But the double Olympic medalist in 2000 and 2004 lost in the first round, leaving the stage local to become king.

A great atmosphere at the FDI Stadium

We still had to get rid of, lastly, Martinican Jonhatan Laurent. Calm, serene and determined, Omar El Yazidi hit the mark, the first time thanks to a spectacular spinning kick to the head which sent his opponent onto his buttocks. The Montpellier resident then threw his helmet to the ground, raised his arms in the air to the clamor of a delirious audience, convinced that he had finished the job.

But Laurent got up to let the spectators at the FDI Stadium enjoy it a little longer. In the room, the atmosphere was wonderful. Led by the flagship athlete of 3MTKD Théo Lucien present on the front line in the stands, the supporters dressed in orange sang, screamed, encouraged their protégé.

Bellahcene: "We met expectations"

So Omar El Yazidi was still swinging his foot at the Martinican's head. This time, the Héraultais could exult for good. Like his friends, his family, his colleagues from the Montpellier municipal police and his partners from 3MTKD who had all experienced a very emotional moment.

Like its athlete, the French championships were a success for the Montpellier club:  "We met expectations, the show was there for the full stands, relishes the founding president Karim Bellahcene. My greatest pride is to have been able to offer free entry so that Montpellier residents can take advantage of the moment and, why not, create vocations."
 

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