College Sports: A Golden Season for theUM !
At the Champions Trophy, held last night at the School of Pharmacy, we look back at the exceptional results achieved this summer by the teams of theUM. It was a year marked by the men’s handball team’s national championship and the women’s soccer team’s European title.
Handball, rugby, and soccer: theUM s at the top in France and Europe
UM ’s men’s handball team won the national title at the French Elite University Championships, held in Tours from June 7 to 9.
After defeating the University of Lorraine (43–29) and Créteil (40–27) in the group stage, then the University of Besançon in the semifinals (26–19), the University of Montpellier faced Val-de-Marne in the final. Final score: 34–26.
The Elite Championship represents the highest level of collegiate sports. TheUM team will therefore represent France at the European Championships, which will take place from July 3 to 9, 2017, in Málaga, Spain.
The UM rugby team also added to the university’s list of achievements with a victory in the N2 division. To claim the trophy, theUM ’s rugby team defeated the STAPS-Orsay team 37–15 in a final played in Issoire in the Puy-de-Dôme department.
Still in team sports, the volleyball players from the “UM ” lived up to the university’s tradition of excellence in this discipline by finishing in a close pack (2nd and 3rd) at the French Elite Championships held in Grenoble in early June. The 2016 edition lived up to all expectations in terms of the quality of play. “The French University Championship was of an exceptional level this year—the best since its inception,” noted representatives from SUAPS.
A duo from the “UM ” then headed to Île de Ré for the French Beach Volleyball Championships. The pair Theo Josserand and Thomas Nevot lost in the final to representatives from the Centre National de Beach Toulouse.
7-a-side soccer: The girls are European champions!
A major achievement for the women’s 7-a-side soccer team, which won the European University Championships in Zagreb in July, following up on the national title it won last year! The soccer players from theUM defeated the Spanish team from Valencia 4–0 in the final.
Taekwondo: Waldeck Defaix doubles his tally…
In individual sports, athletes from theUM , also excelled, particularly in swimming. At the French Championships held in Montluçon on May 11, 12, and 13, they won the men’s 4 × 100-meter freestyle relay. TheUM also claimed the title in the men’s team event, which consisted of eight races. The swimmers from theUM finished ahead of the teams from INSA Toulouse and Aix-Marseille University.
Let’s also celebrate Waldeck Defaix’s latest victory. The Tahitian, who had already won the title in 2015, repeated his success by becoming the 2016 French taekwondo champion in the under-87-kilogram category. Waldeck Defaix then distinguished himself at the European Championships, ending the academic season as European runner-up…
French Boxing: Just a Hair's Breadth Away from the Title
Still in combat sports, Maxime Jublan narrowly missed out on the title, but still managed to claim the title of French runner-up in French boxing.
Finally, it’s worth noting the second-place finishes by Emmanuelle Guibal and Mathilde Toinard, achieved respectively in the combined events weightlifting and bodybuilding.
