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Day two in the Warsaw European Open was as action-packed as day one, and the semi finals were kicked off by the -100kg men.
Aristos MICHEL (CYP) took the first final place by defeating Wilgner MENDES (BRA), coming back from two shidos in normal time, Michel went 3:11 in to golden score before scoring ippon with ko uchi gari. There he will meet Iosif SIMIN (ISR), who defeated Great Britains’ Oliver BARRATT, first scoring yuko with kata guruma, and then countering in a clinch for a huge ippon.
Day two welcomed the lightweight women, and it’ll be a Spanish – Brazilian final in the -48kg category. First claiming her spot was Gemma Maria GOMEZ ANTONA (ESP) who defeated Lois PETIT (BEL), a huge makikomi secured a waza ari score, which she controlled, moving immediately in the osae komi. Clarice RIBEIRO (BRA) will be her final opponent, who went full time with Amber GERSJES (NED), but an early waza ari score separated the pair and Gersjes just couldn’t find a way to level up.
The -81kg men gave everything on the tatami in the semi finals, both enduring golden score, however the first was swift. TOTH Botond (HUN) spent only 16 seconds there against Adrian SULCA (ROU) before scoring with a perfectly timed o uchi gari on the move. Ljubljana European Open gold medallist, Pavel DRZYMAL (POL) was not so fortunate against Aurellien BONFERONNI (SUI) however, almost doubling contest time before countering an attack from the Swiss athlete with o soto gaeshi.
Tatum KEEN (GBR) surprised the top seed and gold medal hope for the host nation, Aleksandra KALETA (POL) with a huge sode tsuri komi goshi to take her place in the -52kg final. There Keen will meet Astride GNETO (FRA) who had a terrible tough semi final against Ilay HAYUN (ISR), delving deep in to golden score before Hayun was given a third and final shido.
The -90kg category delivered on the performance side today with current -81kg World Champion and Olympic silver medallist, Tato GRIGALASHVILI (GEO) slowly coming back to competition. Grigalashvili gave a typical display, delivering a variety of techniques and really using this opportunity to perform. Aaron SANTAMARIA RODRIGUEZ (ESP) gave him a tough fight, but in the last 20 seconds the Georgian superstar pulled out a huge front uchi mata to score the winning waza ari score. Facing him will be Tigo RENES (NED) who looked to enjoy his semi final against SZTANKO Daniel (HUN), having the opportunity to throw big.
After a break with injury, Adriana RODRIGUEZ SALVADOR (ESP) seems to be back fighting fit, and defeated Pleuni CORNELISSE (NED) in her semi final in only 32 seconds, with a blinding reverse kart guruma. It wasn’t so easy for her final opponent in the -57kg category, Alya DE CARVALHO (FRA), who battled with Shannon VAN DE MEEBERG (NED) before finding an entry in ne waza, eventually applying the shime waza for submission.
The +100kg category saw some big wins, the first from World medallist, Yakiv KHAMMO (UKR), who with only 24 seconds left on the clock, threw Yann RIGAUD (FRA) with ko soto gake. Stephan HEGYI (AUT) missed out on the final in the Ljubljana European Open, but wasn’t prepared to make another mistake, instead he will be competing for the gold against Khammo after defeating the host’s Patryk BRONIEC (POL), scoring with tai otoshi and completing the win in osae komi.
Author: Thea Cowen