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Anna Monta OLEK (GER) is without a shadow of a doubt, Germany’s rising star and follows in the footsteps of Anna Maria WAGNER and Alina BOEHM, having chased both of them down in the run up to the Paris Olympic Games, finishing in the top 10 of the world ranking list. On day four of the Senior European Championship 2025, she struggled in her opening rounds but fought through to the semi final against World bronze medallist, Emma REID (GBR) who in the first three minutes of contest time, stayed ahead on the attacks, but as the clock ticked away, the playing field levelled, and Olek took a deep grip over the back and threw with a front uchi mata, scoring ippon to put herself in the final.
Audrey TCHEUMEO (FRA) was looking to make history and take a sixth title for France today, however she was stopped in her tracks by Olympic bronze medallist, Patricia SAMPAIO (POR) a three-shido result in favour of the Portuguese athlete.
Olympic Champion, Zelym KOTSOIEV (AZE) was immediately put on the back foot in his semi final against Anton SAVYTSKIY (UKR), a driving o uchi gari scoring yuko in the first 30 seconds. With one and a half minutes left on the clock, Kotsoiev finally managed to find an opening, and threw for waza ari, completing the win with osae komi.
For Ilia SULAMANIDZE (GEO), he had been focussed on his path to the final, hoping to redeem his 2024 experience to take gold. Another lure for the semi final win was to once again go head to head with Kotsoiev after their epic Olympic final battle. In the first half of the contest against Armen ADAMIAN (IJF), both clinched, but it was Sulamanidze who managed to claim the waza ari score. The Georgian Olympic silver medallist was unable to repeat his score and so had to defend it for over two minutes as Adamian chased, but to no avail.
It was an all-French affair in the first +78kg category semi final between Romane DICKO and Lea FONTAINE. Of course, the pair know each other so well that it was somewhat of a static battle, but the Olympic bronze medallist, Dicko, was the one constantly pushing forward. It was a tough one, but in the end, a yuko was scored by Dicko’s o soto gari.
It will be a fifth head to head for Dicko and Raz HERSHKO (ISR) in the final, Hershko defeated Asya TAVANO (ITA) initial yuko score, worked in ne waza, secure osae komi for her place in the semi final. Now the challenge is to overcome Dicko, and put an end to her winning streak.
The first of the +100kg semi finals was between two of the best judoka in the world. Double Olympic Champion and the current European Champion who has his own World accolades. Lukas KRPALEK (CZE) and Inal TASOEV (IJF) went head to head in to golden score, and had the crowd on their feet with every clinch and near score. Eventually however it was a roaring ura nage from Tasoev that brought the winning yuko score.
On the other side of the draw, many assumed that Guram TUSHISHVILI (GEO) would have fought his way through, however was shocked as he fell in his first bout to Recep ERGIM (TUR). Instead, it was Ushangi KOKAURI (AZE) taking on Valerii ENDOVITSKII (IJF). The latter used his tremendous height and long limbs to his advantage, attacking with ashi guruma, Kokauri attempted to counter with ura nage, but didn’t have the balance to explode and was thrown for ippon.
Judoka
Author: Thea Cowen