Toulon karateka Mehdi Filali is back on top of Europe

That was his goal, and Filali succeeded in making La Marseillaise ring out at the European Championships this Saturday. The 25-year-old police officer, who works in Toulon, won the title in the +84 kg category on the tatami mats of the Karen-Demirchyan sports complex.

In a true battle at the top, he faced the defending champion, Croatian Andjelo Kvesic. A tense final was won by a touch to the stomach of his opponent, earning two points, which allowed the Frenchman to win 2-1.

See you in Egypt

Already crowned in 2023 in Guadalajara (Spain), Mehdi Filali wins the second individual European gold medal of his career, pending the team final this Sunday. He will travel to Egypt in November to attempt to win a second world title, again after 2023. It would be a wonderful story.