Olympic Games Mixed Team Event - Tokyo, Japan

EUROPE TO BRING HOME THREE MEDALS IN HISTORIC OLYMPIC TEAMS EVENT

For the first time, the mixed teams event were held in the Olympic Games. It couldn’t be more apt given that judo is back home, in the Nippon Budokan, Tokyo.  The preliminary rounds went as the seeding dictated, with Japan, Russian Olympic Committee and France all coming out as victors…

31 July 2021

Olympic Games - Tokyo, Japan

KRPALEK CONQUERS TWO CATEGORIES AND REPEATS OLYMPIC SUCCESS IN TOKYO

Lukasz KRPALEK of the Czech Republic can now call himself a double Olympic champion, not only in one weight category, but two.  In what can only be called a spectacular performance, the 2016 -100kg Olympic champion battled against his fellow Olympians, the best in the world, to take his second…

30 July 2021

Olympic Games - Tokyo, Japan

EUROPE CONCLUDE INDIVIDUAL EVENT WITH SIX MEDALS AND AN OLYMPIC TITLE

Repechage and Semi Finals The +78kg got off to a quick start, unfortunately for Maria Suelen ALTHEMAN (BRA) she was unable to continue due to injury and the win automatically went to Shin XU of China.  Kayra SAYIT (TUR) won her repechage in the first minute, te waza bringing her…

30 July 2021

Junior European Judo Cup - Bucharest, Romania

JUNIOR ATHLETES PREPARE FOR THE DRAW IN BUCHAREST CUP

While all eyes have been on Tokyo this week, our budding junior athletes have been preparing in earnest for the junior European cup to be held Bucharest this weekend. The Romanian Judo Federation have done a wonderful job as always in preparation for such an event.  The final day of…

30 July 2021

Olympic Games - Tokyo, Japan

EUROPE TO TACKLE JAPAN AND CUBA FOR OLYMPIC TITLES ON FINAL DAY

Number one seed in the +100kg category, Tamerlan BASHAEV (ROC) was about to become the most talked about athlete of the day, but he might not have realised that stepping on to the tatami. His opponent, the legend that is Teddy Riner (FRA) looked in control for the majority of…

30 July 2021

Olympic Games - Tokyo, Japan

MALONGA'S SILVER MAKES A TOTAL OF FIVE MEDALS FOR FRANCE

There is no doubt of the strength of the French team, already with medals are Amandine BUCHARD (-52kg), Sarah Leonie CYSIQUE (-57kg), Clarisse AGBEGNENOU (-63kg ) and Luka MKHEIDZE (-60kg). Today was the time to shine for the 2019 world champion, Madeleine MALONGA in the -78kg category. Last time she…

29 July 2021

Olympic Games - Tokyo, Japan

EUROPE CONCLUDE THE PENULTIMATE DAY WITH FOUR MEDALS

Repechage & Semi Finals The repechage contests began with Guusje STEENHUIS (NED) and Kaliema ANTOMARCHI (CUB). It was a long contest, a length of eight minutes and unfortunately for the Dutch it was a makikomi from Antomarchi that ended it in favour of Cuba.  Mayra AGUIAR (BRA) took the second…

29 July 2021

JUDO FAMILY SADLY MOURN THE PASSING OF ERIC VEULEMANS

The EJU would like to express its deepest condolences to the family of Eric Veulmans and the Flemish Judo Federation. Veulmans passed away on July 26th, leaving behind a wife, children and grandchildren. The 8th Dan was involved in EJU Kata since the beginning in 2002. First of all, as…

29 July 2021

Olympic Games - Tokyo, Japan

DAY SIX PRELIMINARIES: EUROPE TO BATTLE IT OUT WITH KOREA AND JAPAN FOR FINAL PLACES

It was a much earlier finish in the Nippin Budokan today following the preliminary rounds for the -100kg and -78kg categories. In both weights we have a European in each semi final. You can expect to see the -100kg #1 seed Varlam LIPARTELIANI (GEO) there against Aaron WOLF (JPN). To…

29 July 2021

Olympic Games - Tokyo, Japan

BEKAURI TAKES FIRST OLYMPIC TITLE FOR GEORGIA

The final was an all-European affair between two of the younger athletes in the -90kg division, current European champion Lasha BEKAURI (GEO) and Eduard TRIPPEL (GER).  Germany’s Trippel was certainly a fairytale when considering the sheer volume of potential champions in this category. In a much anticipated final between the…

28 July 2021

Olympic Games - Tokyo, Japan

SIX MEDALS IN EUROPE'S MOST SUCCESSFUL DAY OF THE OLYMPICS

The most successful day for Europe so far was in the -70kg and -90kg categories, where a total of six medals were taken along with an Olympic title for Georgia, the first in the tournament. Medal Contests Barbara MATIC (CRO) v Madina TAIMAZOVA (ROC) To say that Taimazova has been…

28 July 2021

Olympic Games - Tokyo, Japan

FAIRYTALE POTENTIAL FOR POLLERES AND TRIPPEL

On the fifth day of the Olympic Games, we saw at least one European athlete in every medal contest, with the final block saturated with athletes from our continent, there were six medals guaranteed and a potential of seven. Repechage & Semi Finals Despite great efforts form Alice BELLANDI (ITA),…

28 July 2021

Olympic Games - Tokyo, Japan

DAY FIVE PRELIMINARIES: EUROPEAN RULE WITH 16 IN FINAL BLOCK

Day five certainly saw some surprise early exits in the women’s -70kg from the likes of Margaux PINOT (FRA) as well as disappointing ends in the mens -90kg category for Mammadali MEHDIYEV (AZE), Axel CLERGET (FRA) and TOTH Krizstian (HUN), all in touching distance of the quarter finals.  We can…

28 July 2021

Olympic Games - Tokyo, Japan

EJU PROJECT 'JUDOKAS: THE ORIGINALS' PUBLISHED BY IOC

This week we are delighted to share with the judo community a project that the EJU media and video production team have been working on behind closed doors with many of Europe’s Olympic athletes, some already in possession of an Olympic title this week!  The IOC published the ‘Judokas: The…

28 July 2021

Olympic Games - Tokyo, Japan

AGBEGNENOU REWRITES HER OLYMPIC ENDING

2016 Olympic silver medallist. 2021 Olympic champion.  It was an all-European final between Clarisse AGBEGNENOU (FRA) and Tina TRSTENJAK (SLO). This final was already an incredible result as it was actually a repeat of the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic final when the gold medal went to Trstenjak.  Today, that…

27 July 2021

Olympic Games - Tokyo, Japan

EUROPE ACCUMULATE FIVE MEDALS INCLUDING ANTICIPATED OLYMPIC TITLE

Repechage & Semi Finals Juul FRANSSEN of the Netherlands was first of the European athletes to make her way in to the bronze medal fights, beating out Ketleyn QUADROS (BRA), unfortunately in the second of the repechage contests, Agata OZDOBA-BLACH (POL) who had a fantastic morning was just unable to…

27 July 2021

Olympic Games - Tokyo, Japan

DAY FOUR PRELIMINARIES: OLYMPIC DREAMS COMING TRUE FOR EUROPEAN OUTSIDERS

We are now at the midway point of individual competition and the excitement continues with shock losses in the preliminary rounds including the early exit of Japan’s hope in the -63kg category at the hands of Agata OZDOBA-BLACH (POL). This is judo.  The favourite to win in todays women’s category…

27 July 2021

Olympic Games - Tokyo, Japan

NORA GJAKOVA DOMINATED -57KG TO TAKE SECOND OLYMPIC TITLE FOR KOSOVO IN TOKYO

Majlinda KELMENDI, the first major success of Kosovo. Not only is she an Olympic champion but also has two world titles and four at continental level.  On day one of the Olympic Games judo event, Distria KRASNIQI followed perfectly in her footsteps taking the second ever medal for Kosovo, and…

26 July 2021