Paris 2024: triumph, personal best and courage… latest results for Monegasque Olympic athletes
Encouraged by Prince Albert II, judoka Marvin Gadeau (+100kg) lost out to Cuba's Granda © Stéphan Maggi/ Monegasque Olympic Committee
Friday, August 2 was a memorable day for the Monegasque athletes, with exceptional performances and intense emotions. Quentin Antognelli, Marie-Charlotte Gastaud and Marvin Gadeau did the Principality proud during the events, each in their own fashion.
After a series of intense races, rower Quentin Antognelli finished the Games in style. At the end of his fifth race on the Vaires-sur-Marne course, he won the D final in an impressive time of 6:54.93.
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Beating formidable opponents such as Hong Kong’s Chiu and Egypt’s Elbanna, Antognelli finished on a high note after a difficult start. “I felt good. I focused on my own race,” he said, clearly pleased with his performance.
His victory gave him 19th place in the overall rankings, a respectable position, after narrowly missing out on direct qualification for the Games, edged out by Slovenia’s Denis Žvegelj.
A dazzling PB for Marie-Charlotte Gastaud
At the Stade de France, in front of thousands of cheering spectators, Marie-Charlotte Gastaud achieved her goal to perfection, beating her personal best time in the 100m qualifications (heat 4). With a time of 12.41 seconds, she bettered her previous PB of 12.52, finishing 6th in her heat.
“I stayed really focused on my competition. I put everything else out of my mind. I’m satisfied with my race, and a PB to boot. It’s the perfect end to a great season. Running here at the Stade de France was magical. The atmosphere was fabulous and unique,” she said, beaming with happiness.
Marvin Gadeau: courage in the face of adversity
In the frenzied atmosphere of the Champ de Mars Arena, Marvin Gadeau, who competed in the +100 kg category in judo, showed exemplary fighting spirit against the Cuban, Granda. Despite being defeated by ippon due to a mis-movement, Gadeau showed great fighting spirit and determination.
“I was feeling good. I made a wrong move and I was punished for it. At this level, there’s no room for error. I could maybe have done better,” he said, with lucidity about his performance. The warm encouragement from the spectators, including Prince Albert II, was a great support for the athlete: “Hearing the crowd behind me was quite extraordinary.”
His coach, Marcel Pietri, praised his courage and tenacity: “Marvin was clearly in warrior mode. He set off to do the job. He had the right attitude, he didn’t shy away from it. Going into battle was the only way he had a chance given the Everest he faced, the 2022 world champion, ranked 5th in the world. Marvin rose to the occasion.”
