Taekwondo: With 3MTKD, Montpellier has the largest club in France

En orange, les membres du 3MTKD ne passent pas inaperçus. Loic Feltrin – LF

Le club du président Karim Bellahcene s’est hissé tout en haut de la hiérarchie nationale jusqu’à organiser, avec réussite, les championnats de France, ce week-end, au FDI Stadium de Montpellier.

Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole Taekwondo (3MTKD) is the largest club in France. With almost 1000 members, no other sports association affiliated with the FFTDA (French Federation of Taekwondo and Associated Disciplines) does better.

Born from the will of a man who died prematurely in 2000 and raised by the perseverance of his son, Karim Bellahcene, for 24 years, the 3MTKD has become an institution of French taekwondo. He also impresses with his high-level performances. Like its headliner Théo Lucien, in the running for qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, or its standard bearer Omar El Yazidi, still crowned French champion in +87kg.

A Hope Center in Montpellier…

"The 3MTKD is a large club due to its sporting specificity, explains Myriam Baverel, deputy national technical director at the FFTDA. Taekwondo is a sport but also a martial art. The club's choice is to favor the competitive form, the practice of combat while keeping all the values ​​embodied by the martial art. Thanks to this direction, Karim Bellahcene managed to receive the support of Montpellier youth. It’s very inspiring, we are lucky to have a club in line with the values ​​of taekwondo: integration, insertion and solidarity."

With the 3MTKD, the French federation intends to go even further. She plans to create a system in Montpellier as part of her future federal performance project: "The ambition is to create a Hope Pole around the 3MTKD by taking advantage of the city's facilities such as the Creps to allow that potential young people in the emerging territory,” continues Baverel.

…and a European championship ?

In the meantime, the FFTDA has entrusted, for the first time to 3MTKD, the organization of the French senior championships this weekend. "There is enormous power with this club structured around volunteers who help us, and it’s very comfortable, rejoices Patrick Russo, national technical director. The federation-club coordination works wonderfully. We have adequate equipment with the FDI Stadium. We must aim higher, with, why not, the future organization of a European Championship." To be continued.

El Yazidi champion at home

The first day of the French championships at the FDI Stadium was crowned, & home, Montpellier Omar El Yazidi (28 years old). Triple title holder in the +87kg category, the municipal policeman & Montpellier n’didn’t even have to meet the legend Pascal Gentil (50 years old) back for the occasion but &eliminatedé in the first round. In the final, the 3MTKD fighter put on a show in front of his supporters, his family, his teammates and his loved ones. A first returned kick made his opponent flinch before a second one ended up giving a large advantage to his opponent. the H’raultais who was then able to commune with a public in trance to celebrate their champion. The competition continues this Sunday in the usual lair of Montpellier handball players. Start of fighting at the start of the battle 8:30 a.m., finals à from 1 p.m. 

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