Medalists in Rio in 2016, Mathieu Bauderlique at -80kg and Sofiane Oumiha at -63.5kg have made sure to participate in the first Olympic qualifying tournament for Paris 2024.
Estelle Mossely will not be alone. While the Olympic champion in -60kg in Rio in 2016 successfully launched the course that could lead her to the tournament organized during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, two other French boxers who returned with a medal from Brazil have taken a first step towards qualification. Indeed, this Saturday at the Palais des Sports in Saint-Quentin, Mathieu Bauderlique won his ticket to the European Gamesthe first qualifying tournament, at -80kg thanks to a success on points against Raphaël Monny, vice-champion of France amateur, in a split decision.
“I lacked flow, rhythm, I was quickly asphyxiated. I am conditioned by the ten rounds of the pros and the three rounds of the amateurs, confided Mathieu Bauderlique in remarks collected by the daily The Team. There is really a lot of work for me to find him. There is nothing impossible, I already did it in 2016, when I was already a pro. But I beat Monny thanks to my punches that are more powerful, more precise, more impactful than him. »
– FF Boxing (@FF_Boxing) February 4, 2023
Oumiha can also believe in Paris 2024
Sofiane Oumiha will also be there in Krakow in the -63.5kg category thanks to a points success over the French amateur champion Enzo Grau. A fight that saw the latter be counted standing by the referee in the third round before seeing the judges take the side of the silver medalist in Rio in 2016. “Grau had developed a tactic, trying to touch me by against, but I found the answer over the course of the fight, “said the person concerned in remarks collected by the daily The Team. However, an injury could change that. “
For a little while, I have a small crack in the tendon of Achilles., that’s why I was sometimes on the heels, admitted Sofiane Oumiha. I did not pass radio, because I wanted to do this tournament, hoping that it holds. But next week, I will see a doctor to treat me. In addition to Soheb Bouafia (-92kg) and Djamili Aboudou (+92kg), three other French boxers have validated their ticket for the European Games: Billal Bennama (-51kg), Riad Labidi (-57kg) and Davina Michel (-75kg ).
