The National Judo Team of Haiti, will participate in Senior World Judo Championships, to be held from August 23 to 28 at the Palais des Congrès Paris-Bercy (France) with a ten-member delegation including seven athletes, a coach, a delegate who will attend the Congress of the International Judo Federation (IJF) and Ernst Laraque, the President of the Federation of Haitian Judo (FHJ).

Following an agreement signed between the city of Dunkerque and the Haitian Ministry of Sports, at the invitation of Mr. Daniel Saint Ange, the sports complex "Philip-Vanuxem", to Coudekerque-Branche (Pas-de-Calais, France) has welcomed on August 10 the National Team of Judo of Haiti to enable it to complete, in the best conditions, their preparation for the World Championship.

The athletes who will represent Haiti are :

Women :

Linouse Desravines 52kg

Ange Mercie Jean-Baptiste 57kg

Nadjeda Gena 78kg


Men :

Peterson Ménéus 60k g

Réginald Altenor 66kg

Abdias Lamour 73kg

Richardson Duvergé 81kg

They will be led by the coach Antoine Virtues, sports director of the Federation of Haitian judo, black belt, fourth dan, for who the judo is a passion. "The city is perfect. When I arrived here, I was very well received. The judo hall is also perfect." Antoine Virtues and the national team are highly motivated and determined to overcome the difficulties experienced by Haiti. "We worked hard [...] the team participated in all possible competitions. For example, the Youth Olympics in Singapore in 2010, the World Cup in Budapest in 2009 and 2010."

It is Gregory Goemaere, the Coach of Judo Club Coudekerquois, who is in charge of the preparation sessions of the delegation. Antoine Virtues, following the the sessions proposed by Gregory and add his comments, observes, approves, participates in the examples... A good position at the world championships, and Haiti will be closer of qualification for the Olympics. "We worked hard with the athletes, but it is not easy because there are France, Japan, Brazil. France has won many medals. For us it is important to bring medals."

"The Federation of Haitian Judo wishes a good job and good luck to our ambassadors who have the difficult task to improve the image of Haiti in a foreign land", declared Ernst Laraque, the President of the Federation of Haitian judo.