It was an exciting start to the final block on day two of the Prague European Open 2024, with potential for two medals for the home team, the fans, families and clubs were out with their banners, enjoying the first European Open of the tour in this Olympic cycle.
It was an outsider nation that claimed the first of the seven gold medals available today however. Already Canada won a bronze medal on day one in the women’s categories but it was Keagan YOUNG in the -81kg category who devastated each of his opponents in the preliminary rounds and continued his fluid style in to the final. Mo VAN DUN (NED) gave a convincing fight, but he was stunned by a huge ura nage by Young, a wonderful way to take his second continental open title, his first in Europe.
In the -48kg category, sisters Marine and Coralie GILLY of France went head to head for the gold medal. The pair have fought once on the European Open circuit, where Marine managed the bronze medal win in the Madrid European Open, however on this occasion, at least both would walk away with the medal and stand on the podium to hear their national anthem. As predicted it was a familiar feeling for the athletes, but this time Marine was unable to keep up, and was eventually issued a third shido, and Coralie took her first European Open gold medal, her third continental open medal in 2024.
The national rivalries for gold continued in to the -90kg category with Dutch duo, Jesper SMINK and Ian VAN HERK. Already the Dutch men had secured a bronze medal through Tigo RENES, and now the pair stepped on to decide who would be victor. It was an instant physical start, but ultimately it was the swift reactions of Smink that earned him the gold, Van Herk attacked with ko uchi gari, but Smink had already demonstrated earlier his sasae movements and used this once again for the winning counter.
Competing for the -52kg gold medal were top seed, Lea METROT (FRA) and Tatum KEEN (GBR). It was a tough head to head but a great pace from both, though Metrot fell behind as the contest went on and picked up a second shido. Keen attempted a kata guruma movement and thought it looked to be her score initially, Metrot had used her leg to counter the attack and the commission approved a waza ari score the French athlete.
Lars VISSERS (NED) tried to repeat his semi final success in the -100kg final against Cedric OLIVAR (FRA), with his ko uchi – ko soto combination, but slightly overstretched in the second movement, which resulted in a te waza counter from the Frenchman. In the very final seconds, Vissers became desperate in his attempt to even the score, giving his all, but in doing so left himself vulnerable and on the end of a swift maki komi from Olivar.
The -100kg category also delivered a nice moment for the home crowd as David DUDY (CZE) defeated Gal BERTALANIC ZIZEK (SVK), throwing with uchi mata before transitioning in to the osae komi. This was Dudy’s first medal in a senior event, having suffered early defeats in his previous endeavours this year, but the 21 year old has made the next step and looks forward to his next event in Malaga and was very happy to see Czech superstar, double Olympic Champion, Lukas KRPALEK in the crowd.
French women continued their dominance in the -57kg category, and top seed Ophelie VELLOZZI was prepared to defend her position against team mate, Lou LEMIRE. It wasn’t an easy feat by any means, leading the pair in to a golden score match, but a cross grip down the back gave Vellozzi the advantage, and she managed to throw with o soto gari, defending her 2023 Prague European Open win and added a sixth gold medal to France’s collection this weekend.
A great character on the IJF World Judo Tour for the past decade has been Yakiv KHAMMO (UKR) and he continued to demonstrate today how he became a three-time world medallist. Taking on the top seed, Dzhamal GAMZATKHANOV (AZE), he was fortunate to put a score on the board early but defending was a great challenge. In the first 30 seconds, Gamzatkhanov over stretched with an o soto gari, but some fast thinking from Khammo saw him turn, throwing with a harai maki komi. He was almost caught a couple of times, as the Azerbaijani athlete killed his sumi gaeshi attempts and almost held him. In the end however it was a big celebration for Team Ukraine as Khammo delivered the gold.
Judoka
Author: Thea Cowen