Day two of the European Youth Olympic Festival 025 saw many more athletes competing in the -60kg, -66kg, -48kg and -52kg categories.
The first of the -60kg semi finals saw Zeyd ALASGAROV (AZE) and Vakhtangi TCHIABERASHVILI (GEO) lock in for an almighty battle that went deep in to golden score. After seven minutes of contest time, there were only two shidos on the board for Alasgarov, but he was doing everything to stay in the game. The longest contest of the tournament so far, after over six minutes of golden score, it was Alasgarov, the Cadet European Champion and world ranked #1 that gave his last ounce of energy for tomoe nage, scoring a winning yuko. He will need to rest up for the final as he faces Khazar HEYDAROV (UKR) who went head to head with FEDORA Ferenc (HUN) for almost the full contest, however Fedora was issued a third shido, awarding the win to Heydarov.
Nurana HAJIZADA will give Azerbiajan yet another chance of a gold medal, this time in the -48kg category, if both Alizada and Alasgarov can pull it off, they will break their nations record! Throughout the day, Alizada was simply on fire and moved past her opponents with great energy, and did not disappoint in her semi final against KISS Viktoria (HUN), working systematically in ne waza to find the juji gatame win. It could end up being a ne waza final if we take the semi finals as a base, Celine IDDIR (FRA) gave a fierce performance, finding the submission via shime waza against Martina TUCAJ (CRO).
Another top seed saw his way in to the final, Boris JANKOVIC of Serbia missed out on a medal in the Cadet European Championships last month but he certainly had his act together today, fighting his way in to the semi final against Nino GUBBERUD (NOR). A yuko was scored from uchi mata by Jankovic, and this was enough to take him to the EYOF final in the -66kg category. Meeting him there is Tyn ZWIERS (NED) who defeated Zygimantas KARALEVICIUS (LTU) after battling for over two minutes of golden score, feeling the moment and executing some wheeling ashi waza for a contest winning yuko.
Rivalling the -60kg semi final, the -52kg semi final between VAS Mira (HUN) and Hannah GLAUNER (GER) went on for just over nine minutes before Glauner countered a tired drop seoi attempt from Vas. Monica MARTINEZ DE RITUERTO MORILLAS (ESP) will be the opposing finalist, and she showed her commitment and confidence with her ashi waza against Alice LOPEZ (FRA), with a cross grip down the back, scoring waza ari with ko uchi gari before transitioning straight in to osaekomi.
Judoka
Author: Thea Cowen