While the Austrians continue with the success in Gyor European Open 2024, earning three final spots, the Netherlands team are rivalling for gold medals with a total of five, . However the crowd weren’t so focussed on the visiting nations, but more so on their finalist in the -90kg category NERPEL Gergely (HUN). They came close to tasting gold yesterday but instead settled for silver. Nerpel secured his position in the final by defeating Artem BUBYR (UKR) with a deep morote seoi nage. He will continue against team Ukraine in the final as he takes on ne waza, or more accurately, juji gatame specialist today, Yaroslav DAVYDCHUK.
In the -70kg category it will be an all-Dutch battle between Sanne VERMEER, who has changed weight categories, and Margit DE VOOGD who has made a comeback in the past six months following some time off. Vermeer defeated Lucie JARROT (FRA) with morote seoi nage, and De Voogd took her final place with a double-sleeved o soto gari against Gioia VETTERLI (SUI).
The -81kg men sees Bernd FASCHING (AUT) hunt out the first gold for Team Austria, and demonstrated some great reactive ashi waza against Alessandro BELLINI (ITA) in the semi final. Equally, his final opponent Adrian SULCA (ROU), formerly of the -73kg category, was giving the crowd entertainment with his sasae tsuri komi ashi.
European Open events are perfect steps for the high level judoka returning from injury and Yael VAN HEEMST (NED) knows only too well. Already and IJF World Tour medallist, it was a long break for her but she seems to be back to her former self, setting up Linda POLITI (ITA) with ashi waza before committing with o uchi gari for the win. Meeting her there is the U23 European silver medallist Rafaella IGL (GER) who showed her talents in ne waza.
It could very well be an IJF World Tour final looking at the -100kg men as Simeon CATHARINA (NED) will take on Laurin BOEHLER (AUT) for the gold medal. The latter grafted in ne waza against Francisco BALANTA (COL), forcing him to submit from juji gatame. Boehler is typically looking for big techniques, as is Catharina who defeated Kilian KAPPELMEIER (GER) with a kata guruma variation.
The Netherlands theme continues in to the +78kg category with Paulien SWEERS, the current Junior European Champion who timed a counter of ko soto from Urszula HOFMAN (POL) to find her place in the final. Meeting her is top seed, Helena VUKOVIC (CRO) who had a steady day today, but also took her semi final win with an ashi waza counter.
Finally, the third Austrian that could take gold is Movli BORCHASHVILI in the +100kg category who left it all on the tatami against Jur SPIJKERS (NED), confidently clinching and using ashi waza to throw his opponent for ippon. In the other half of the draw it was an all-German battle for the final position between Johannes FREY and Jonas SCHREIBER, in the end Schreiber picked up three shidos putting him in the fight for bronze.
The final block will commence at 16:00 at JudoTV.com.
Judoka
Author: Thea Cowen