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The European Junior Cup in Graz could hardly have ended in better fashion for the host nation, with Austria celebrating a second gold medal on the final day of competition. Marlene Schinwald claimed the -52 kg title in commanding style, producing a flawless performance from start to finish.
“She was in a league of her own today, won every bout deservedly and didn’t even have to go to golden score. Thirteen scores in five rounds , no one else can match that,” enthused Judo Austria coach Michael Winkler.
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“Yes, today was a perfect day for me. I felt good first thing in the morning and expected to go far. That feeling grew stronger with every round. I was very relaxed yet confident,” said the Salzburg native, Schinwald. “All good things come in threes. It was my third final and, for the first time, it was enough for gold. My mum Eva and my boyfriend Jakob were there too, I couldn’t have imagined a better way to celebrate this first victory.”
France and Brazil also had plenty to celebrate on the second day of competition. For the “Grande Nation”, two 18-year-olds struck gold. Third seed Kevin Nzuzi Diasivi (+100 kg) overcame Steyn Oldenhof (NED) in the final to secure his third junior European Cup title. The triumph of his teammate Noah Boue Kossa (-81 kg), however, came as a major surprise. Previously successful only at cadet level and ranked just 239th in the IJF junior rankings, Boue Kossa made light work of second seed Silas Costa (BRA) in the gold medal contest, securing a stunning victory in less than a minute. The Frenchman needed just 16 minutes and 20 seconds of contest time to complete his seven victorious bouts.
Despite their success, France narrowly missed out on top spot in the team standings. Brazil retained first place with an impressive haul of four gold, two silver and two bronze medals, while France finished with nine medals overall (3 gold, 2 silver, 4 bronze).
The action in Graz is far from over. Between 1-2 June, around 350 judoka from 15 countries will take part in the accompanying training camp. Austria’s national team athletes, including newly crowned champion Marlene Schinwald, helped prepare the venue by laying out the 870 square metres of tatami required for the camp in less than two hours.
Author: Wolfgang Eichler
Author: EJU Media