30 days to go… Precisely one month from right now, the opening ceremony of the Olympic Video games in Paris will happen. The next day, the judo match will start within the Champ de Mars enviornment. The anticipation is rising. Excessive pressure appears assured: 372 athletes are eligible to compete. A complete of 15 medal choices are on the programme over eight days of competitors (27.07. – 11.08., 7 girls’s, 7 males’s weight lessons, 1 combined workforce competitors). On the final Olympic Video games in Tokyo, Europe gained a complete of 32 medals, 5 of which had been gold. All 5 European gold medallists from 2021 (Distria KRASNIQI/KOS/-52, Nora GJAKOVA/KOS/-57, Clarisse AGBEGNENOU/FRA/-63, Lasha BEKAURI/GEO/-90, Lukas KRPALEK/CZE/+100) are aiming to defend their titles in France.
EJU Vice-President Catarina RODRIGUES (POR) analyses the (European) outcomes and performances on the World Championships in Abu Dhabi and dares to take a sporting look forward to the upcoming Summer time Video games. Because the (highest) sports activities official on the EJU, she has all of the details and figures at her fingertips. Taking inventory – seen by the European (judo) lens.
“The Olympic outcomes of 2021 shouldn’t be repeated on this kind so shortly. Based mostly on the outcomes of the final three years, we don’t anticipate Japan to have the ability to repeat the dominance of Tokyo – with 9 out of 14 potential (particular person) gold medals. Though Staff Nippon solely competed with out the large names on the 2024 World Championships, it was as soon as once more primary within the medal desk – with 3 x gold, 2 x silver and 4 x bronze. Japan will flip up in Paris with a nominally a lot stronger workforce. Nevertheless, many high stars comparable to DICKO, GJAKOVA, KRASNIQI and RINNER have additionally been lacking on the European aspect just lately. It is going to be fascinating to see which path is the correct one ultimately.”
The details and figures communicate in favour of an (at the very least partial) pattern reversal in direction of Europe: no fewer than 10 (out of 14) high seeds on the Olympics come from Europe. Eight present European world champions from Abu Dhabi are travelling to the Champ de Mars enviornment with the crimson again quantity. Of the 112 seeded athletes in Paris, no fewer than 64 are of European origin. There are at the very least 5 seeded judoka or extra in seven weight classes. Within the classes as much as 52 kg and as much as 70 kg, there are even seven out of eight, which implies – to place it merely – will probably be a duel between Europe and Japan.
“The technical and bodily stage of the fights was already actually excessive on the World Championships originally of June. We are able to anticipate an additional enchancment in Paris,” predicts Catarina Rodrigues.
A very powerful (European) details/findings from Abu Dhabi clearly summarised:
- The European “clear sweep” was within the half-middleweight (-63) with gold by VAN LIESHOUT/NED, silver to SZYMANSKA/POL and bronze to AGBEGNENOU/FRA, FAZLIU/KOS.
- Solely within the light-weight – 57 kg class did Europe stay and not using a medal within the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Nevertheless, the highest European girls (CYSIQUE, GJAKOVA, LIPARTELIANI, BILODID) had been conspicuous by their absence.
- The EJU’s sports activities promotion programme is as soon as once more bearing fruit. Luukas SAHA (FIN/-66) gained the primary World Championship medal for Finland in 42 years (1982).
- As on the final two World Championships (2022: MATIC – CVJETKO/CRO/-70, 2023: MAISURADZE – BEKAURI/GEO/-90), there was as soon as once more an all-European closing: PINOT – GAHIE/FRA/-70.
- No fewer than 4 of the eight European world champions had additionally beforehand been junior world champions: 21-year-olds VAN LIESHOUT/NED and SARDALASHVILI/GEO two years in the past and HEYDAROV, KOTSOIEV/AZE in 2017.
- Sturdy ne-waza from EJU athletes led to medal wins for BABULFATH/SWE and SZYMANSKA/POL.
- No fewer than 16 EJU nations had been delighted to win (at the very least one) medal: AIN, AZE, ESP, FIN, FRA, GBR, GEO, GER, ITA, KOS, NED, POL, SRB, SUI, SWE, TUR.In the long run, the EJU medal tally was 31 medals – 8 x gold, 8 x silver, 15 x bronze.
A tally of 31 European (Olympic) medals, eight of them gold, can be welcomed with a kiss on the hand in Paris. In any case, there needs to be extra gold medals (5) than in Tokyo in 2021.
Writer: EJU Media
Share
Tweet
Telegram
WhatsApp
E-Mail
