Day one of the La Nucia European Open 2025 went off without a hitch, seeing three Spanish athletes in to the final block, two of which fighting for the pleasure of the title!
Jaione EQUISOAIN, the 31 year-old from Spain has been on the scene for many years now, claiming her Grand Prix medal in 2016 but also a haul of continental open wins, including the gold in Madrid 2023. It seems she’s still got it as she took the semi final win with a low harai makikomi against Shenna NITSCHE (GER). There is still one more contest to go however, Gaetane DEBERDT (FRA) is also looking for her fifth continental open win, the French athlete accumulated three yuko scores by sumi gaeshi in her semi final against Kamile NALBAT (NED).
The final of the -60kg category will see Ariel SHULMAN (ISR) and Daniel LEUTGEB (AUT) battle it out for the gold medal. Shulman took the place first, defeating Hristo HRISTOV (BUL) with an early waza ari score in the semi final, coming from an adjusted sumi gaeshi. On the other side of the draw, Leutgeb had a tough head to head with Maxime IGNACZAK (FRA), however was victorious with a countering ko uchi gake.
It seems like a natural selection occurred in the -70kg category with top seed and current World Champion, Margaux PINOT (FRA) coming out on top of her side of the draw, defeating Gioia VETTERLI (SUI) with a drop morote score in the opening minutes of the semi final. World silver medallist, Giovanna SCOCCIMARRO (GER) has endured a tough period but she is fighting back. Though she was put on the back foot by Joana CRISOSTOMO (POR), who scored waza ari with a ko soto movement in the first 30 seconds, the Portuguese athlete was unable to manage the pressure and picked up a third shido to hand the win to Scoccimarro.
Miguel GAGO (POR) has been building toward this moment, the Junior European bronze medallist in 2023 showed promise and has been chipping away with each performance, and today took his place in the final by defeating Driss MASSON JBILOU (FRA), countering his kata guruma style entry with te waza. On the other side, Mykyta HOLOBORODKO (UKR) managed a win against Martin SETZ (GER), reading a drop seoi nage in the final minute and countering for the waza ari score.
Top seed of the -78kg category and recent Dushanbe Grand Slam winner, Emma REID (GBR) defended her ranking, making it to todays final. On a roll from her previous performance, Reid looked strong, but Rafaella IGL (GER) gave a fierce fight, forcing Reid in to golden score. It took only an extra thirty seconds for the British athlete to feel her way to the gold medal contest, attacking first with uchi mata before switching to the scoring sumi gaeshi. Oceane ZATCHI BI (FRA) did not find such a struggle in her semi final against Beatriz MOREIRA (POR), scoring with o soto gari before securing her win in osae komi.
Concluding the preliminary rounds in La Nucia were the men at -73kg. Lucian BORS DUMITRESCU (ROU) dominated in his semi final against Vinicius ARDINA (BRA), working his way in a calculated manner in to a shime waza submission. Finally, he will take on Anton SHUHALIEIEV (ESP), who gave a passionate performance, first scoring waza ari with a drop morote seoi nage against Niels THIJSSEN, but did not rest or go in to a defensive mode. Instead Shuhalieiev continued to push forward and with mere seconds left on the clock, found his way on to the arm for a juji gatame win.
The Upper Austria Grand Prix winner, Celia CANCAN (FRA) tried her best to take her place in the final of the +78kg category, which would see her against team mate and top seed, Lea FONTAINE, who defeated Kinga WOLSZCZAK in osaekomi, however Samira BOUIZGARNE (GER) foiled her plans with a yuk-scoring tani o toshi.
Judoka
Author: Thea Cowen