Christophe Negrel (born May 25, 1977 in Marseille) is a French taekwondo practitioner, who competed in the men's welterweight category.[1] He picked up a total of eight medals in his career, including three from the European Championships and a silver in the 70-kg division from the 1997 World Taekwondo Championships in Hong Kong, and attained a top eight finish at the 2004 Summer Olympics, representing his nation France. Throughout his sporting career, Negrel trained full-time for La Rose Boxing and Taekwondo Club in his native Marseilles, and also became a full-fledged member of the French taekwondo squad since 1996, under head coach and master Philippe Pinard.[2][3]

Christophe Negrel
Personal information
Full nameChristophe Negrel
Nationality France
Born (1977-05-25) 25 May 1977 (age 46)
Marseille, France
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight78 kg (172 lb)
Sport
SportTaekwondo
Event80 kg
ClubBCTR La Rose
Coached byPhilippe Pinerd
Medal record
Men's taekwondo
Representing  France
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 1997 Hong Kong 70 kg
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 2005 Riga 78 kg
Silver medal – second place 2004 Lillehammer 78 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2000 Patras 72 kg

Negrel started his sporting career by picking up a bronze medal at the 1994 European Junior Championships in Bucharest, Romania. Three years later, he made his official debut in the senior division and eventually claimed a silver in the 70-kg class at the 1997 World Taekwondo Championships in Hong Kong, losing the final to Egypt's Tamer Abdelmoneim Hussein. In 2003, Negrel reached the pinnacle of his sporting career, as he secured a gold medal victory over Iran's Yousef Karami and a spot on the French Olympic squad in the 80-kg class at the World Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Paris.[4]

At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Negrel qualified for the French squad in the men's welterweight class (80 kg), by topping the field of fighters and granting a berth from the World Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Paris.[4][5][6] As the top seeder of the prelim draw, Negrel opened his match with a powerful 13–10 victory over Dutch taekwondo jin Patrick Stevens before he fell in a stunning 17–24 defeat to Azerbaijan's Rashad Ahmadov in the quarterfinals.[7][8]

References edit

  1. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Christophe Negrel". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  2. ^ Rivier, Laurent (26 August 2004). "Taekwondo: Christophe Négrel sans poings d'exclamation" [Taekwondo: Christophe Négrel has no feelings on his fists] (in French). Le Télégramme. Archived from the original on 30 December 2014. Retrieved 28 December 2014.
  3. ^ "Les Français à Athènes" [The French in Athens] (in French). Eurosport. 9 August 2004. Retrieved 28 December 2014.
  4. ^ a b "Se battre pour Athènes" [Fighting for Athens] (in French). Sport365.fr. 3 December 2003. Retrieved 28 December 2014.
  5. ^ "Athens 2004: Taekwondo – Men's Entry List by NOC" (PDF). Athens 2004. LA84 Foundation. pp. 2–4. Retrieved 28 December 2014.
  6. ^ "Pascal Gentil, le calme avant la tempête" [Pascal Gentil, the calm before the storm] (in French). La Dépêche du Midi. 18 August 2004. Retrieved 28 December 2014.
  7. ^ "Taekwondo – Men's Welterweight (80kg/176lbs) Quarterfinals". Athens 2004. BBC Sport. 12 August 2004. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  8. ^ "−80 kg: déception pour Négrel" [−80 kg: Loss for Negrel] (in French). Sports.fr. 28 August 2004. Archived from the original on 30 December 2014. Retrieved 28 December 2014.

External links edit