On day one of the Sarajevo European Open 2024, gold medals went to seven different nations, including one for the host nation, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Aleksandra SAMARDZIC in the -70kg category opened with a tough first round against an opponent she had never faced, explaining her preparation was impossible as the IJF representative had no previous footage to look back upon.
Not only this, but there was no specific preparation for this event, after representing her country in the Olympic Games in Paris, Samardzic took a well deserved rest and has been training at home, finding herself back on the tatami. Both her experience and love of competing in front of her home crowd brought her the win today against Jovana CAKAREVIC (SRB). Samardzic controlled the head with a tough grip, directing her opponent as she stretched over for harai goshi.
There were some familiar faces in the Hotel Hills Arena, just not donning their judogi. In the coaching chair for Team Hungary, TOTH Krisztian made an appearance and in the stands, Nemanja MAJDOV brought members of his club.
Toth proved that his skills as an athlete transfer well to the coaching side, finding himself with two athletes in the final of the -60kg category, NAJI David and FECZKO Csanad.
It was a true lightweight battle, cat-like reflexes and a familiarity which made it all the more difficult. The men went in to golden score, both deserving to stand atop of the podium, but after seven minutes of contest time, a sumi gaeshi attempt from Naji was anticipated and Feczko hooked for ko soto gake to take the win.
In the final of the -63kg category, Flavia FAVORINI (ITA) came through to face Laura VAZQUEZ FERNANDEZ (ESP). From the get go it was a high tempo contest, the fight for grips taking it out of the pair. The defence of both so great that the contest continued well in to golden score, Favorini demonstrating smart management, remaining relentless in her attacks, forcing Vazquez to pick up three shidos.
Favorini has spent some time testing herself on the IJF World Tour, but has felt herself coming up short of a result, and though she had plenty of European Cup success, it was today that she dominated at the Continental Open level.
Like in the -60kg category, the -66kg saw a national head to head, but this time it was Team Montenegro who were battling it out for the gold medal. Jusuf NURKOVIC had already seen himself in two finals in 2024, in the Tallinn European Open and more recently in the Podgorica Senior European Cup, however on both occasions he was left with a bitter sweet feeling of second place. Today however, he faced younger team mate, Peter RADOVIC. Though Nurkovic threatened with an uchi mata on a couple of occasions, it was a sode maki komi, that gave him the winning score. Taking the waza ari in the final meant that Radovic came back hard in desperation, but Nurkovic managed it well and took his first continental open gold. A nice step towards competing in the European Championships at home next year!
Usually of the -70kg category, Anka POGACNIK (SLO) surprised by competing in the -78kg category, and despite her lack of ranking points, she was in the final in Sarajevo. It was a smooth win in the final against Nadezhda TATARCHENKO (IJF), throwing with sasae tsurkomi ashi, transitioning immediately in to ne waza for the gold medal.
A sensational head to head took place for the -73kg gold, between Serbia’s Filip JOVANOVIC (SRB) and Diego FERNANDEZ CAMPILLO (ESP). Faced-paced, both looking for the big throw, which eventually ended in a golden score endeavour. It was an unfortunate end for Jovanovic who practically threw himself, looking for a backward technique, but Fernandez managed to touch the opposite foot for ko uchi gari.
Concluding the first day of the event were the +78kg women, Urska TORKAR (SLO) and top seed, Tina RADIC (CRO). The latter fell behind early in the contest as she was thrown with o soto gari, however this did not phase her and she battled to make the come back. Of course, she managed to turn it around, throwing with soto makikomi and capitalising on her position to hold her opponent for a further ten seconds.
Judoka
Author: Thea Cowen