After an incredible performance from Seija BALLHAUS (GER) in the Senior European Championships, taking the title in the -57kg category, it was her sister’s time to shine in Qazakstan, taking the gold medal in the -52kg category.
Mascha BALLHAUS was faced with a tough final opponent, Ayumi LEIVA SANCHEZ (ESP). The pair delved in to a golden score battle, and Leiva believed she could counter an uchi mata attack from Ballhaus, but the German athlete was ready for it, having almost suffering earlier in the contest. Switching direction, Ballhaus hooked in with o uchi gari for the yuko score, and the Qazaqstan title.
Ballhaus wasn’t the only success story from day one of the tournament however, with Pauline STARKE taking bronze medal position on the podium after defeating KIM Juhee (KOR). Taking the gold however was Faiza MOKDAR (FRA), scoring waza ari against TAMAOKI Momo (JPN) in just over a minute of contest time, then it looked like the tides could change as Tamaoki secured the osaekomi, but only managed a yuko and couldn’t pull herself back, settling for silver.
In the lightest of the women’s categories, Sabina GILIAZOVA (IJF) was the highest accolade for the European Union at -48kg, taking silver, and joining her on the podium was Assunta SCUTTO (ITA), who unfortunately had to face team mate, Asia AVANZATO for her bronze win.
Among the sea of blue that was the -60kg podium, Iznaur SAAEV (IJF) stood atop the podium with the three host representatives of Qazaqstan. In the final, he wasn’t only battling Talgat ORYNBASSAR (KAZ), but the home crowd, and it wasn’t until the five minute mark that Saaev threw with a circling o uchi gari for the waza ari score.
It was the same fate in the -66kg category for Ramazan ABDULAEV (IJF) who took on Gusman KYRGYZBAYEV (KAZ), and threw with some stunningly swift ashi waza, which was originally scored ippon. Though it was reconsidered and changed to waza ari, in the end this was the winning score.
Judoka
Author: Thea Cowen