The final day of the European Judo Championships of the Small States Nicosia 2024 featured an fierce mixed-team events. Although only three teams competed, they left a lasting impression on all spectators. According to the Sport Organisation Rules, when there are fewer than five entries, teams compete first in a round-robin system. This format ensures every competitor faces all others, with the two teams accumulating the most wins advancing to the final.
The opening match saw Luxembourg take on Andorra, resulting in a 4-2 victory for Luxembourg. The next bout featured Luxembourg against Cyprus, where the host nation secured a commanding 4-1 win. Finally, Andorra faced Cyprus, with the Cypriot team dominating 4-0. These results set up a final showdown between Team Cyprus and Team Luxembourg, a repeat of the 2022 tournament where Luxembourg emerged victorious on home soil.
The final began with an automatic 1-0 lead for Team Cyprus, as Luxembourg had no competitor in the -66kg category, granting Georgios BALARJSHVILI a win by default. The next contest in the -81kg division featured Kyriakos NIKOLAOU (CYP) against Micha WELTER (LUX). Nikolaou scored a decisive waza-ari early on, and despite mounting pressure and picking up two penalties, he held on to secure a second win for Cyprus, making it 2-0.
In the -52kg contest, Sofia ASVESTA (CYP) faced Carla TAVARES FERNANDES (LUX). The battle was intense, with both judoka focusing on grip-fighting strategies throughout. As the clock wound down, Asvesta capitalised on an opening in ne-waza to secure a win, bringing Team Cyprus to 3-0. The -63kg contest was critical for Team Luxembourg’s chances. Sofia DEMOSTHENOUS (CYP) squared off against Chloe SCHILLINGS (LUX), with Schillings executing a well-timed shime-waza to score Luxembourg’s first point, keeping their hopes alive.
The spotlight then shifted to the -81kg clash between Claudio NUNES DOS SANTOS (LUX) and Odysseas GEORGAKIS (CYP). Nunes dos Santos, recently back from two surgeries and over a year of recovery, showcased his resilience. At 2:10, Georgakis received a penalty, and the bout became a tense back-and-forth, with Nunes dos Santos making two strong attempts. Georgakis picked up a second penalty, putting him on the edge of disqualification. However, the Cypriot judoka managed to stay aggressive, forcing the fight into golden score (extra time). With both athletes exhausted, Georgakis capitalised on an opportunity at 3:16 in extra time, countering his opponent and landing Nunes dos Santos onto his back. This major move crowned Team Cyprus as the mixed-team European Judo Champions of the Small States 2024.
The arena erupted as the Cypriot team celebrated with traditional local dances, a fitting tribute to their hard-fought victory. Reflecting on a hectic but triumphant weekend, the Technical Director of the Cypriot Judo Federation, Mr. Christodoulides CHRISTODOULOS, was often mentioned for his behind-the-scenes efforts. As anticipation built, it was time to hear from the man who helped orchestrate this unforgettable event.
It has been a robust six months where I had some doubt at times if we were able to pull this off but we did. As we get closer to the event, doubts turned into excitement and we grow in confidence. Now I am very proud of being able to host this event at this level. Non which would have been possible without the support of our National Olympic Committee, the National Sports Organisation of Cyprus, the European Judo Union, friends, families whom volunteered their time tirelessly to support us. I am not only proud of our judoka but all the other small nations who work towards the development of this event. We succeeded together.
Images: Emanuele DI FELICIANTONIO
Author: Szandra Szogedi