All eyes had been on Catarina Costa, Portugal’s Olympic star and heavy favorite, as she competed in a class above her ordinary weight class on the Portimão Senior European Cup 2024. Nevertheless, the semi-finals introduced a shock that left the group surprised. Raquel Brito, one other gifted Portuguese judoka, stole the highlight with a surprising victory over Costa, profitable by Ippon by means of an excellent ne-waza method. This got here after Brito had already secured victory in opposition to Italy’s Alessandra Rocco, displaying her dominant kind early within the competitors.
Brito’s win over Costa despatched shockwaves by means of the sector, setting the stage for the ultimate the place she confronted Iara Guedes. Regardless of Guedes’ valiant effort and repeated makes an attempt to keep away from Brito’s deadly ne-waza, Brito delivered a panoramic efficiency. With impeccable timing, she executed a flawless sumi-gaeshi that instantly transitioned right into a decisive juji-gatame, incomes her the victory by submission and shutting out an ideal day on the tatami.
Whereas Brito’s triumph was the story of the day for the Portuguese followers, the boys’s facet of the competitors additionally delivered unforgettable moments. The electrifying Nace Herkovic from Slovenia grabbed everybody’s consideration with a grueling first-round battle that lasted over 9 minutes. After surviving that ‘marathon’, Herkovic discovered his rhythm and cruised by means of the rest of the day. His standout second got here within the remaining, the place he executed an opulent o-goshi in opposition to Davit Aghasaryan from the US, securing his gold medal with fashion.
Including to the thrill, the event additionally featured a household affair with the brothers of two outstanding judoka competing. Mohab Elnahas, brother of Canadian star Shady Elnahas, fought valiantly within the -90kg class to earn a silver medal. Within the -81 kg class, Nicolas Yonezuka, brother of American gold medalist of the -73kg, Jack Yonezuka, battled his solution to a bronze medal match, showcasing the depth of expertise throughout generations.
The second day of the Portimão Senior European Cup maintained the exhilarating tempo set on Saturday. Judo followers had been handled to not solely top-tier performances but in addition the form of surprising, dramatic moments that make the game so fascinating. Portimão, as soon as once more, proved itself to be an ideal stage for judo brilliance.
Textual content: Carlos Ramos / Pictures: Miguel Galhardas
Creator: Szandra Szogedi
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