4 Quebec judo fighters to represent Canada at Paris Olympics

Four Quebec judo fighters will represent the country at the Paris Olympic Games, Judo Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee announced Thursday morning.

They are Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard and Arthur Margelidon from Montreal, François Gauthier-Drapeau from Alma, and Ana Laura Portuondo Isasi from La Prairie. They will be joined by Japanese-born sisters Christa and Kelly Deguchi and Ontario's Shady Elnahas.

Beauchemin-Pinard will be competing in her third Olympic Games in Paris 2024. She is currently ranked second in the women's under 63 kg category. Beauchemin-Pinard, 30, won the bronze medal in the under 63 kg category at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

"I see the Paris Games as the logical continuation of all the hard work I've put in over the last few years. I want to savour every moment leading up to the Games, whether it's tough training sessions, receiving my Olympic gear or even the opening ceremony. My ultimate goal is to stay in the moment at every stage of my journey and perform to the best of my ability when the big day comes," she said in a news release.

Margelidon is currently ranked ninth in the under 73 kg category. This will be his second Olympic Games, following his fifth-place finish in Tokyo.

Meanwhile, Gauthier-Drapeau and Portuondo Isasi will participate in their first Olympic Games in Paris. Both won silver medals at the 2024 Pan-American and Oceanian Championships in their respective events.

"The Canadian judo team has meticulously plotted its course over the past few years, honing its skills and spirit to prepare for the Olympic stage in Paris. With a number of top seeds on the team, we have every right to believe that these will be historic Olympic Games for the Canadian judo team," said judo delegation head coach Antoine Valois-Fortier.

Athletes qualified for Team Canada based on their performances at the International Judo Federation (IJF) world circuit competitions, which took place between June 24, 2022 and June 23, 2024.

The Olympic judo events will take place from July 27 to Aug. 3 at the Arena Champ-de-Mars in Paris.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on June 27, 2024.