Montréal, February 3, 2013 – Quebecoise judokas Catherine Roberge and Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard both claimed gold medals, Sunday, at the senior Open in Arlon, Belgium, each winning titles in their respective categories.

Roberge, registered in the under 78 kg class, ran the gauntlet with a perfect record of six wins in six fights. In the final, she defeated the Cuban Kaliema Antomarchi after her opponent was disqualified for attempting an illegal maneuver.

“Catherine (Roberge) dominated her opponents all day long, women’s national coach Marie-Hélène Chisholm declared. Her main objective at this competition was to get herself prepared for the upcoming tourney in Paris next weekend. It would be an understatement to say she’s gotten her European tour off to a good start!”

In the under 63 kg division, Beauchemin-Pinard lost just one of her seven bouts, but since that loss came in the pool portion of the competition, she was able to qualify for the knockout phase, and from that point on she was unbeatable, on route to her gold medal conquest.

“Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard finished 5^th yesterday (Saturday) in the junior tourney, Chisholm noted. Today, she defeated two girls who beat her yesterday. She worked really well all day long, and did a great job following her game plan.”

Ontarian Monika Burgess (-63kg), who came away with a bronze medal in the junior tournament yesterday, managed a 7^th place classification today, after finishing with a record of three wins and two losses. North West Territories native Gabrielle Desforges lost both of her fights on the day.

In the under 52 kg class, Ecaterina Guica ended the day with a record of 2-2 while Audrée Francis-Methot was unable to record a victory in her two bouts.

In the under 70 kg category, Ontarian Yacinta Nguyen-Huu came away with one win from four matches.  Alix Renaud-Roy was defeated in both bouts.  Ana Laura Portuondo-Isasi won just one of her three bouts on the tatamis.

As for Whitney Lohnes of Nova Scotia, she succumbed in both her fights in the under 48 kg class. The Quebecoise Élodie Lavoie claimed one victory in three attempts in the under 57 kg division, Stéfanie Tremblay (-57 kg) won one of two, while Nicole Jenicek lost both fights she took part in.

Reyes 5^th in Visé

Meanwhile, the men were in action at the Orlon Open in Visé, Belgium, and the Quebecer Kyle Reyes obtained the best Canadian result, recording a 5^th place finish in the under 100 kg category after claiming three wins from five matches.

Alister Ward and Antoine Bouchard finished 7^th and 9^th respectively, in the under 66 kg class.  Ward concluded his tourney with a record of four wins in six bouts, while Bouchard was victorious in two of four.

In the under 81 kg class, Louis Krieber-Gagnon (1-1) and Arthur Margelidon (0-1) did not receive a classification.

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Writen by Sportcom for Judo Canada