Day two of the Sarajevo European Open 2024 saw the lightweight women and heavyweight men decide the finals medals, and determine the outcome of the medal table. Within the last three weight categories, it was flipping between nations, but in the end it was Team Slovenia who secured the top spot with two gold, one silver and two bronze medals.
In the -81kg category however, it was an athlete from outside the continent who came through to take the gold medal. Johan SILOT (USA) stunned his European opponents, and finally, TOTH Benedict (HUN) in the final. The pair were comfortable with the close contact and gripping, and it was Toth that initiated the movement with a front uchi mata, however Silot was strong enough to defend it, and managed to counter it, scoring ippon just as they headed in to the second half of the contest. This is Silot’s third continental open win, though the first outside of Pan America. Only just moving on to the senior circuit within the past 12 months, he is certainly looking to be a promising hope for the LA 2028 Olympic Games.
Gemma Maria GOMEZ ANTONA (ESP) was the eventual winner of the -48kg category today, and succeeded in achieving her first continental open gold medal. Only just missing out in the 2023 edition, then coming close again in Madrid, she gave a stellar performance today to ensure she would listen to her national anthem. In the final, she took on Nevena MILIC (SRB), who was proving to be a very difficult opponent, but in the final minute, Gomez found her way in for the sangaku turn and held her opponent.
The -90kg final was explosive and exciting to say the very least. First to put a score on the board was Bozidar VUCUREVIC (BIH), demonstrating incredible control, scoring with sumi gaeshi. This only fuelled the fire for Bosko BORENOVIC (SRB), who countered a kata guruma attempt from his opponent to even the score, and then with only 18 seconds left on the clock, Vucurevic committed to an uchi mata, but was anticipated and side stepped, Borenovic scoring with uchi mata sukashi to take the win, and Serbia’s first gold, adding to an incredible collection of five silver and four bronze medals.
It can often be the case that results can go against the run of play, and in the -52kg category, this is what we saw. For the majority of the head to head between Erza MUMINOVIQ (KOS) and Karina EFIMOVA (IJF), it was Muminoviq that appeared to be putting in more attacks and controlling the contest. The pair went in to golden score, and again Muminoviq attacked, this time with uchi mata, changing direction to throw with ko uchi gari but lost the balance. Efimova capitalised on the opportunity and took Muminoviq to the ground, holding her in osaekomi.
There were high hopes for Bojan DOSEN (SRB), a vital member of the Serbian team who took the European Championships Mixed Team bronze medal back in April, and again, it seemed he had the advantage in his contest against Igor DOLGANOV (IJF), but with only two seconds to go, Dolganov executed a huge makikomi, initially given an ippon score, but was downgraded to waza ari. However with only two seconds left on the clock, it left no time for Dosen to make the comeback.
It was an exciting win for Nika TOMC (SLO), the 18 year old who won the European Youth Olympic Festival in 2023. Now testing her abilities on the senior level, it seems she isn’t doing so badly! This is of course her first gold on the continental open level, but it was not an easy success. In the final, Tomc faced Flaka LOXHA (KOS), physically a very strong contender as Tomc quickly realised. Loxha was looking for a clinch, taking a bear-hug type grip along with the ko soto leg, but Tomc stood her ground and hooked in for ko uchi gari, redirecting and throwing Loxha for her incredible win.
Concluding the event in Sarajevo were the +100kg men, and though Serbia were looking for the second gold and the top place on the medal table, it was eased out of their grasp by the 2023 Junior World silver medallist from Cyprus, Giannis ANTONIOU (CYP). Igor VRACAR (SRB) gave a good fight, but the control was in the hands of Antoniou, who countered a makikomi attempt from Vracar to take the first waza ari score. Rather than simply defend the score and defend, Antoniou felt confident enough to continue the assault, and with only 12 seconds left on the clock, Vracar was coming forward hard in an attempt to pull back the score, but Antoniou used the momentum, throwing with a drop sode tsurikomi goshi. An ippon end.
Judoka
Author: Thea Cowen