Though solely one of many 5 gold medals was received by a European athlete on the primary day of the Zagreb Grand Prix 2024, the opening occasion on the IJF World Tour noticed 16 of the 20 obtainable medals divided among the many European nations.
Faiza MOKDAR (FRA) was the star of the -57kg class, claiming the gold, an important begin to the brand new Olympiad, nevertheless for the house crowd, it was the silver medal declare for Ana Viktorija PULJIZ that was an enormous trigger for celebration. Previously of the -52kg class, Puljiz has now demonstrated that she is able to sort out the following degree. Reaching bronze medal standing had been Flaka LOXHA (KOS) and Martha FAWAZ (FRA), each graduating from continental open degree to take their first IJF World Tour medals.
Within the males’s classes, Kazakhstan cleaned up the gold medal haul, Sherzod DAVLATOV (-60kg) and Zhanarys RAKHMETKALI (-66kg), with the help of -48kg silver medallist, Galiya TYNBAYEVA, put their nation on the prime of the medal on day one.
Ahmad YUSIFOV (AZE) simply fell brief within the -60kg ultimate, although made a degree because the decrease seeded Azerbaijan athlete to take the higher end result, Turan BAYRAMOV settling for the bronze on this event. It was a swift semi ultimate between the 2, 18 seconds to be actual.
Within the -66kg class, one other medal was added to Azerbaijan’s assortment, a bronze from Ruslan PASHAYEV. The ultimate appeared in attain for Pashayev nevertheless Nice Britain’s Michael FRYER continued together with his cool method, and with lower than 45 seconds left on the clock threw with a entrance uchi mata for ippon. Although Fryer missed out on the gold medal, it was not a swift defeat, heading in to golden rating towards Rakhmetkali, however that is the most effective achievement in Fryer’s profession thus far.
On the opposite aspect of the draw, the 2023 Junior European Champion, Tengo ZIRAKASHVILI (GEO) was on blistering type to take the -66kg bronze medal.
Japan made a robust begin in Zagreb, KOGA Wakana (-48kg) and OMORI Kisumi (-52kg) dominating of their classes. Although the -48kg ultimate was misplaced to Europe, the Warsaw European Open winner, Anais PERROT (FRA) made the leap to achieve her first medal on the prime degree, joined on the rostrum by Amber GERSJES (NED).
Since her arrival on the judo scene beneath the Spanish flag, Ayumi LEIVA SANCHEZ (ESP) has been a supply of nice judo and nice leisure, although to not her opponents. Already with two Grand Slam medals in 2024, Leiva had some dedication coming into this occasion, and a silver medal within the -52kg class was very deserving. France continued to indicate that the load classes had been saturated with potential as Leonie GONZALEZ took bronze alongside aspect Tereza BODNAROVA (CZE).
Judoka
Writer: Thea Cowen
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