The *TENNIS* ARENA claimed more spectators on day two of the Junior World Championships, as well as a sea of flags and drums. As each athlete of Tajikistan stalked to the tatami, the arena erupted, the noise deafening, and with it brought another sensational day of world class judo.
Top seeds of the -57kg and -73kg categories; Bianca REIS (BRA) and Vusal GALANDARZADE (AZE) were unable to mirror their ranking positions with gold medals, however Reis did manage to secure the bronze medal against team mate, Beatriz COMANCHE.
The -63kg category #1 seed was defending Junior World Champion, Melkia AUCHECORNE (FRA) and she successfully warded off her opponents to ensure the title would remain hers. For Auchecorne, the World Championships has always been an area of triumph, whereas the European Championships prior is almost like a warm up. This happened again in 2024, as she took a bronze medal in Tallinn recently, and she explained,
I had extra stress at the Junior European Championships and not the good kind. I really couldn’t show my best self and it motivated me for today.
It certainly did the trick, now that she once again stood on top of the podium, but it was a close call. In the final, Auchercorne faced 2023 Junior European Champion and 2024 Senior European bronze medallist, Savita RUSSO (ITA), who was also part of Team Italy in the Paris Olympic Games.
Russo took an early lead but her French opponent managed to even the score, which in turn also took the pair in to golden score for another three minutes, at which point Russo attacked with o soto gari and fell to her knees, Auchecorne took advantage and countered with te waza for the win.
I am so happy and so proud for this win, I really gave it everything and left my body out there on the mat as you could see.
With this win, France is now in the race on the medal table behind Japan and China. Anna SKALSKA (CZE) was the third European athlete on the -63kg podium, after defeating the two seeded athletes in her quarter; Sara-Joy BAUER (GER) and Sara CORBO (ITA), she lost out to the eventual champion in the semi final, but pulled herself together for the bronze win.
Unfortunately for the -73kg category men, it was an all-Asia podium, with Tajikistan able to celebrate an incredible bronze medal win from Muhiddin ASADULLOEV. In the -57kg category, European faith was restored by Karolina SIENNICKA (POL) who fell just outside of the seeding and was in fact the #2 for Team Poland in this category.
Judoka
Author: Thea Cowen