Our Judoka were in action this past week at the IJF European Junior Championships in Porec, Coratia.
Representing Cyprus were in the -66 Kg category were Loukas Louca and Giorgios Balajishvili -66Kg and in the -73Kg category were Panagiotis Shakos and Dato Matsoukatov. Representing the women in the -52 Kg category was Sofia Asvesta.
Loukas Louka
Loukas came up against a very much in-form Ranto Katsura from Japan. After receiving 2 Shidos, he lost to the athlete from Japan with Ippon.
Contest video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLQRKMvBghg&feature=emb_logo
Giorgios Balajishvili
Giorgo came up against Dylan Can De Kolk from The Nederlands. After each receiving a Shido, Geiorgos went on to win with Ippon.
He then fought Turan Bayramov from Azerbaijan. After receiving a Shido, Giorgos eventually lost by Ippon.
Contest video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAmutZCEtNE&feature=emb_logo
This victory earned Giorgio 9th place in a European competition!
Panagiotis Shakos
Panagioti came up against Javier Pena Insausti from Spain who beat him with Ippon in the third minute of the contest.
Dato Matsoukatov
Dato’s first contest was against Stavros Doumas from Greece. Although Dato received a Shido, he went on to win with a Waza-ari.
His next contest was against Edoardo Mella from Italy. Dato again received a Shido, but went on to lose by Ippon in the third minute.
Sofia Asvesta
Sofia’s first contest was agains Alona Shchyholeva. After receiving a Shido she went on to win by Waza-ari.
Her next contest was against Ana Viktorija Puljiz from Coratia. Although both contestants received a Waza-Ari, Sofia also received Hansouku-Make, but as Ana went through to the final stages, this meant Sofia could fight for Bronze.
Her next contet was against Marta Kuras from Poland who she beat with Ippon in the final minute and then her opponent for the bronze medal was Aleksandra Janeczko. Sofia received 2 Shidos during the contest, but in the third minute won with Ippon giving her the medal
BRONZE FOR SOFIA !!!
After such a demanding year where the schedule for all our athletes was disrupted by the Covid-19 virus, all of them fought excellently and made us as a country proud – they again contested with the heart and soul that we have come to expect from our athletes.
We are especially proud of Sofia’s Bronze Medal – a first for a Judoka from Cyprus at an IJF European competition – CONGRATULATIONS SOFIA!
