Giovanni ESPOSITO was the first of the Italian brothers to take gold on day two of the Upper Austria Grand Prix 2025. It was a triumph in the -73kg category with a tight yuko score that was almost evened by his opponent, SZEGEDI Daniel (HUN), but in the end, a o uchi gari counter from Esposito is what delivered the top place on the podium. Motivated by his brothers success, Antonio took on the challenge and gruelling battle of Murodjon YULDOSHEV (UZB), the pair venturing almost a minute and a half in to golden score before Esposito caught Yuldoshev with a perfect, ippon-scoring ko uchi gari.
Chusniddin KARIMOV (CZE) also added a medal to the haul in the -73kg category, making a stunning comeback against SZABO Aron (HUN), first a sumi gaeshi for the first waza ari score, and sealing the deal in golden score with a great uchi mata, achieving his first IJF World Judo Tour medal at 32 years old. In the -81kg category, it was a huge victory for Team Austria with a bronze medal win from Bernd FASCHING who redeemed his 5th place position in 2024. It was a dangerous match up against TOGO Joji (JPN) who threatened a few times with sode tsuri komi goshi, however he made an error upon entry and Fasching was able to counter the attempt for ippon.
In the -63kg category, it was Kaja KAJZER (SLO) who stole the limelight with her first gold medal win in her new weight category. The European silver medallist from -57kg has taken on a new challenge and it appears to be paying off, first by defeating the current European Champion in the -63kg category, Renata ZACHOVA (CZE), and then by managing a 10 minute final against MORICHIKA So (JPN), who ceded three shidos. Zachova did manage a save however, defeating Amanda ZUAZNABAR-TORRES (ROU) with only 9 seconds left on the clock, with a deep drop seoi nage. On the other side of the draw it was an emotional bronze medal win for Laura FAZLIU (KOS) who had evidently picked up an injury and was fighting not only her opponent Joni GEILAN (NED), but also herself. She won on both counts, executing an ippon-scoring sasae tsuri komi ashi, but left the tatami in some distress.
It was a close call in the -70kg final as Ida ERIKSSON (SWE) took Aiofe COUGHLAN (AUS) in to golden score, but it was the latter who found her way to a score and the gold medal, doubling up on her ashi waza techniques with an o uchi, ko uchi gari combination. Kaja SCHUSTER (SLO) made a return to her regular category after a medal at home in the Ljubljana European Open in the -78kg category, and the Junior World bronze medallist can now lay claim to being an IJF World Judo Tour medalist as a senior competitor in this new cycle with a golden score ko soto gake against Gioia VETTERLI (SUI).
Judoka
Author: Thea Cowen