The Olympic and world champion arrived in Tbilisi with the distinct aim of completing the triple crown. Alice Bellandi (ITA) was still missing the senior European title and this was the opportunity to sign it off. A bye and a 1-minute win offered the perfect start to her day and although Aleksandra Babintseva (RUS) brought a little more challenge, Bellandi was ready; a win via two small scores was enough.
Kaila Issoufi, the fourth seed, didn’t have the kindest draw, despite her ranking. Olympic medallist and 2023 world champion Inbar Lanir (ISR) was in the same quarter. When they came to the tatami to face each other though, fate was not at the Israeli’s side and she suffered an injury, an unexpected accident, and had to withdraw.
Bellandi and Issoufi’s semi-final was not as easy as the Italian champion might have hoped, a full-time affair that ended with Bellandi only a yuko ahead. It was enough but it wasn’t ideal and she would be refocusing for the final.
Emma Reid (GBR) and Metka Lotnik (SLO), seeded two and three respectively, also obeyed the ranking and reached a shared semi-final. There, world bronze medallist Emma Reid needed just one minute to armlock her opponent and reach her first European final.
Alice Bellandi picked up the pace in the final and outworked the British judoka from the outset, although on each occasion Reid was able to take her preferred grip, she looked strong and put the Italian under pressure. A combination of seoi-otoshi to ko-uchi-gake separated them just inside the last minute, in Bellandi’s favour. That was the winning moment and as the time ran out, the Olympic and world champion finally had her first senior European gold.
Emma Reid now has her first senior European medal to add to her 2024 world bronze earned in Abu Dhabi. She delivered a professional performance in Tbilisi.
The first bronze medal contest didn’t’ last too long. Babintseva attempted to throw Metka Lobnik (SLO) with an armlock and was therefore disqualified. A jubilant Lobnik left the tatami with her first senior milestone medal secured; a massive smile on her face. It may not be the way she wanted to win it but on this occasion that was not in her control.
The second bronze medal was set to fly to Germany with Julie Hoelterhoff or to France with Kaila Issoufi. The latter began perfectly with a throw for a yuko very early on. She doubled her lead a short time later and although Hoelterhoff was able to pull one score back, Issoufi protected the lead well and earned her first senior European medal.
Author: Jo Crowley