The initial final on day one of the Rome European Open 2024 was between top seed of the -63kg category, Natalia KROPSKA (POL) and Laura VAZQUEZ FERNANDEZ (ESP). In the first exchange, Kropska shocked her opponent, scoring a waza ari. Following this, the pair spent a great deal of time in ne waza, as Vazquez was unable to keep the leg out to even the score or claim the ippon. Over one minute and half ticked by before Vazquez secured her win, claiming her second continental open gold. Very recently, she had fought her way in to the final of the Sarajevo European Open but was forced to settle for silver, she made a clear point she would not settle again.
It was always going to be an uphill battle for Francesco SAMPINO (ITA) as he took on Artem LESIUK (UKR) for the -60kg gold, the latter a Grand Slam and Grand Prix medallist. Sampino is eight years his junior and is still a regular on the junior circuit, so regardless of a win or loss, this was his best result to date. The youngster was fuelled however and was initially given a waza ari score that was later reconsidered, but he challenged Lesiuk and took him in to golden score on this occasion, then after only 15 extra seconds, Lesiuk threw with harai makikomi to win the contest.
There have been some months where we have not seen Giovanna SCOCCIMARRO (GER), after an understandably tough period, she has returned to competition and in the final of the -70kg category, was tested by Irene PEDROTTI (ITA). It was a score from Pedrotti in the first minute, a drop seoi nage caught Scoccimarro, which paired with a great defence and comfortable transitioning in to ne waza became a nightmare for the German athlete who was unable to find a way in. With 34 seconds left on the clock, Pedrotti was still on the attack and claimed a second waza ari score with a low o uchi gari. A first win for Italy!
Fresh off success in the European Championships of the Small States, Georgios BALARJISHVILI (CYP) was continuing his winning streak in Rome against Francesco CARGNELUTTI (ITA). An initial score came from a hard fought for ura nage, but the contest felt far from over. Though the pair continued a tough head to head, it was Balajishvili that claimed the win, securing his opponent in osae komi for 10 seconds and adding a gold to the medal table in the -66kg category for Cyprus.
Shelley LUDFORD (GBR) has been making a slow and steady comeback after multiple injuries and surgeries, and is successfully training in judo alongside training to become a midwife. In the Sarajevo European Open she was happy to be back on the podium with a bronze medal, and this week went one step further and in to the final against Julie HOELTERHOFF (GER). In the end, Ludford still has one more place to climb for gold, as Hoelterhoff claimed the -78kg win in the end, an initial score came from uchi mata, and then the winning technique was ko uchi gari.
It was an all-Italian affair in the -73kg category, and now with a taste of winning, Leonardo VALERIANI did not want to give up this contest to Luca RUBECA. In Prague, Valeriani blew his opponents away with some incredibly ballistic judo, and he continued in the same fashion today, scoring first with swift ashi waza and concluding his Rome European Open win with his signature deep and driving, drop morote seoi nage. For Valeriani, it was a different feeling that winning in the Prague European Open, having his friends and club here to support him was special, having competed and trained here for years, it was a comfortable sensation.
Another to claim a second continental open was Ruslana BULAVINA (UKR) in the +78kg category. In 2023, Bulavina succeeded in Tallinn, but so far in 2024 was settling for bronze or silver. Today was different for her, and competing against Maria HOELLWART (AUT) was a tough feat, the strong gripping and defence was a tough combination for both to deal with. In the end however, it was a stretched ashi guruma from Bulavina that brought her win in the Italian capital.
In the end, although Italy took the lion’s share of the medals, it was great to see that five nations were able to claim gold, including that of the small states.
Judoka
Author: Thea Cowen