At the end of the individual competition in Lima, Peru, the remaining Cadet World Champions were hailed and the heavyweight athletes gave world class performances to earn those medals.
Lucie RULLIER (FRA) was first to claim a title in the Cadet World Championships 2024, the number seven seed took on number eight, Nika SLACEK (CRO) for the gold medal, after the pair saw out the favourites. For Rullier, it was especially tough in the semi final against higher ranked team mate, Nina MUTEBA, but she managed the win to secure her place in the -70kg final. Slacek looked comfortable in the first half of the contest, but all it took was a well-timed ashi guruma for Rullier to become the first champion for France in Lima.
Despite suffering a loss in the semi final, Muteba was able to pull herself back and defeat Nadie JAAFAR (BUL) for the first bronze. For the second, the two European bronze medallists; Anna OLIINYK-KORNIIKO (UKR) and Xanne VAN LIJF (NED) battled it out to see who would be doubling up on their major medals this year, and in the end it was a Dutch triumph.
The current European Champion, Dmytro LEBID (UKR) carried his winning energy from Bulgaria, all the way to the final of the -90kg category, and was matched by Sanzhar YERULANULY (KAZ). Both gave a champions performance, but in the final minute, Yerulanuly found his way in ne waza, securing the osaekomi, leaving Lebid to settle for silver. Bronze medals were earned by Gaya SONNTAG (FRA) who managed to take advantage of a counter attempt from Giorgi GELASHVILI (GEO) to score ippon early in the contest. The other, won by Emil JABIYEV (SWE), the unsuspecting Swedish athlete not only defied the ranking odds, but defeated the number two seed, (UKR) for his world medal. Both had scored in regular time, but it was almost two minutes in to golden score before the drop seoi nage guaranteed the win.
In the +70kg final, Europe were guaranteed a medal as current European Champion, Zuzanna BANASZEWSKA (POL) and Leonie MINKADA-CAQUINEAU (FRA) met again in a major championship final. It was a particularly gruelling contest, they know each other well and as a result both picked up two shidos. Then with only 18 seconds left on the clock, Banaszewska used the momentum of Minkada-Caquineau’s ko uchi to throw with ura nage, a second major title for the Polish athlete, and the teams first gold this week.
It took Kristyna KASZPEROVA (CZE) just over a minute to secure the bronze medal win against (FRA), a huge uchi mata, landing directly in the osaekomi was a stunning finish. Next up, Emma-Melis AKTAS (EST) settled for fifth at the Cadet European Championships, and it was a close call on this occasion as she started to pick up shidos early on in her bronze medal contest, however after redirecting a throw, she managed to hold her opponent, Gabriela SILVA (BRA) for her win.
Marek-Adrian MASAK (EST) came in to this tournament as the top seed and current European Champion, looking to double up on his glory. In his way however, was a fresh opponent, Rustem KADZAEV (IJF). It was one of the most exciting and explosive starts to a contest in the final block. In the first minute, Kadzaev worked hard to ensure he was in control of the contest and a swift change in direction with o uchi gari scored waza ari. Masak simply could not find his way in to the contest, always on the back foot, a necessary tactic adopted by Kadzaev, and by doing so, forced Masak to pick up three shidos.
Nodar KOBALADZE (GEO) was the first to take a medal in the +90kg category, initially scoring waza ari with soto makikomi against Jean Pascal Bi Goly DA COSTA (FRA), before repeating his attempt, only this time with better execution, scoring ippon. Kevin NZUZI DIASIVI (FRA) was up next, defeating MIKI Kiyomu (JPN) with drop seoi nage. It only managed a waza ari score, and with a minute and a half left on the clock, the French athlete fought hard to defend the score, resulting in an emotional win.
Judoka
Author: Thea Cowen