Karate: a second European medal "even more beautiful" for Toulon police officer Mehdi Filali

Mehdi Filali became the European champion in the over 84kg category for the second time in his career on Saturday in Yerevan, Armenia. The Toulon police officer dreamed of belting out La Marseillaise. He got his wish! And in the team event, the 25-year-old Frenchman also won the bronze medal with the French national team.

How did you approach your individual final?

I knew it was going to be a tough fight. I went into this match thinking it wasn't going to be a walk in the park. When I stepped onto the mat, I told myself, "Be ready." I like to think of it as the last three minutes of karate in my life.

And now, how do you feel?

I'm very satisfied, it's truly magnificent. I've come a long way because I was injured after the 2023 World Championships. I went four months without doing karate. This medal is even more beautiful than the first one, I enjoyed it even more. The first one, I didn't do it enough, I was more of a spectator than an actor, I thought. It's an even more beautiful moment today.

You also competed in the team championships. How difficult is it to alternate between individual and team competitions?

I'm starting to get used to competing in a row; I'm often selected for the team competition. But I was physically exhausted for the final. It's four days of pressure, four days of getting up early, four days of fighting. The body is put to the test.

Tell us about your journey with the French team...

We won against the Dutch, then against the Armenians. They were at home, the whole room was behind them. As soon as we scored a point, the whistles went off. In the semi-final, we fell against the Italians. It was tough, we didn't make it to the final. They are the defending champions and became double European champions. We were drafted against the Bosnians for the bronze medal. They are a good team, with a lot of heart: they are very proud to represent their country. This is the fourth consecutive year that we have won a team medal (gold in 2022, silver in 2023, bronze in 2024) , it shows that we are a strong nation in team events.

How did your return to France go?

I spent a lot of time commuting on Monday. I left my hotel in Armenia at 5 a.m. and arrived home in Marseille at 6 p.m. Afterward, I enjoyed time with my family. I turned off all social media and my phone to savor the moment. I took some time for myself.

After this intense journey with two medals to win, what's next?

For the next few days, I'm going to recover well and take care of myself. I also want to take some time to enjoy my title! I'm also going to take a vacation. But hey, I'll soon get back to business. In August [on the 8th and 9th] , there are the World Games in China. They're the Olympics for non-Olympic sports, so to speak. It's a title I don't have and I want to perform.