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Antoine Valois-Fortier
Antoine Valois-Fortier Rio2016.jpg
Valois-Fortier at the 2016 Olympics
Personal information
Nickname(s) Antonio, Tony
Born (1990-03-13) 13 March 1990 (age 35)
Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
Died Not recognized as a date. Years must have 4 digits (use leading zeros for years < 1000). (aged Error: Need valid year, month, day)
Occupation Judoka
Height 1.89 m
Sport
Country  Canada
Sport Judo
Weight class –81 kg
Rank      5th dan black belt
Club Shidokan
Coached by Nicolas Gill
Marie-Helene Chisholm
Sergio Pessoa Sr.
Retired 2 December 2021
Achievements and titles
World finals Silver (2014)
Regional finals (2016, 2018, 2019)
Olympic finals Bronze (2012)
Medal record
Men's judo
Representing  Canada
Olympic Games
Bronze 2012 London ‍–‍81 kg
World Championships
Silver 2014 Chelyabinsk ‍–‍81 kg
Bronze 2015 Astana ‍–‍81 kg
Bronze 2019 Tokyo ‍–‍81 kg
Pan American Games
Bronze 2011 Guadalajara ‍–‍81 kg
Pan American Championships
Gold 2016 Havana ‍–‍81 kg
Gold 2018 San José ‍–‍81 kg
Gold 2019 Lima ‍–‍81 kg
Silver 2012 Montreal ‍–‍81 kg
Silver 2013 San José ‍–‍81 kg
Silver 2014 Guayaquil ‍–‍81 kg
Bronze 2011 Guadalajara ‍–‍81 kg
Bronze 2015 Edmonton ‍–‍81 kg
IJF Grand Slam
Silver 2014 Abu Dhabi ‍–‍81 kg
Silver 2015 Tyumen ‍–‍81 kg
Silver 2020 Budapest ‍–‍81 kg
Bronze 2014 Baku ‍–‍81 kg
Bronze 2014 Tyumen ‍–‍81 kg
Bronze 2020 Paris ‍–‍81 kg
IJF Grand Prix
Gold 2015 Ulaanbaatar ‍–‍81 kg
Gold 2017 Hohhot ‍–‍81 kg
Silver 2019 Montreal ‍–‍81 kg
Silver 2019 Zagreb ‍–‍81 kg
Bronze 2013 Düsseldorf ‍–‍81 kg
Bronze 2014 Havana ‍–‍81 kg
Bronze 2019 Tbilisi ‍–‍81 kg
Bronze 2019 Antalya ‍–‍81 kg
Updated on 23 May 2023.

Antoine Valois-Fortier is a Canadian judoka. He was born on March 13, 1990. He is famous for winning a bronze medal in judo at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. This made him the first Canadian in 12 years to win an Olympic judo medal. He was also only the fifth Canadian ever to achieve this.

Antoine's Judo Journey

Antoine Valois-Fortier started his journey in judo and quickly became a strong competitor. He worked hard to improve his skills. His dedication helped him reach the top levels of the sport.

Olympic Success in 2012

When the 2012 Olympics began, Antoine was ranked 21st in the world for his weight class (under 81 kg). Many people didn't expect him to win a medal. However, he surprised everyone with some amazing wins.

He even defeated Elnur Mammadli, who was an Olympic gold medalist. Antoine made it all the way to the quarterfinals. He lost a match to Ivan Nifontov from Russia.

But Antoine didn't give up! He entered the repechage round. This is a special round where athletes who lost early can still compete for a bronze medal. He won against Emmanuel Lucenti from Argentina.

This win led him to the bronze medal match against Travis Stevens. Antoine won this match, earning his bronze medal. His coach, Nicolas Gill, had won a silver medal in judo in 2000. Antoine's medal was Canada's first in judo since then.

Competing in the 2016 Olympics

Antoine Valois-Fortier also competed in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. He won his first two matches, showing his strength. However, he then lost his third match to Khasan Khalmurzaev, who went on to win the gold medal. Antoine also lost his repechage match to Takanori Nagase, who won a bronze medal.

Retirement and Coaching

In June 2021, Antoine was chosen to be part of Canada's team for the 2020 Olympic Games. These games were held in 2021 due to a delay.

In December 2021, Antoine Valois-Fortier announced that he was retiring from competing in judo. Even though he stopped competing, he decided to stay involved with the sport. He became a coach for the national team. This means he now helps other judo athletes train and get ready for competitions.

Awards and Recognition

In 2012, Antoine Valois-Fortier received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. This medal is given to Canadians who have made important contributions to their country.

More About Judo

  • Judo in Quebec
  • Judo in Canada
  • List of Canadian judoka

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Antoine Valois-Fortier para niños

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