Ladies and gentlemen, the time to fight is near. The Judo Senior European Championships 2022in program in Sofia (Bulgaria) and Friday 29 April to Sunday 1 Mayare getting closer and closer and the review is very interesting as it is the first competition of this level in the Old Continent in the new Olympic triennium even if it will not be valid for the Five Circles qualifications in view of the Paris 2024 Games. the favorites of the female categories.
-48 kg
French Shirine Boukli, on the strength of her success in the Tel Aviv Grand Slam, presents herself at the starting line as one of those to be watched carefully, also recalling the second place in the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam and the third of the appointment in Paris of the 2021. Possible rivals will be the other French Melanie Legoux Clement and the Portuguese Carina Costa. In Italy, there are important ambitions thanks to the couple formed by Assunta Scutto and Francesca Milani. Scutto is making her debut in the Senior European Championships and, after having won almost everything at a youth level, she has taken the satisfaction of winning the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam at the end of 2021. As for Milani, who boasts four Grand Slam podiums, yes wants to seal this phase of great growth.
-52 kg
Always France with Amandine Buchard, given the first position in the world ranking. The transalpine, who scored this year in Paris (Grand Slam), showed clear signs of vitality and this gives her the palm of favorite n.1. The Hungarian Reka Pupp and the other French Astride Gneto will be in the game, as well as our Odette Giuffrida. The blue, twice Olympic medalist in the 52 kg and fresh from two consecutive European finals (one won, one lost), will go hunting for a new podium. Attention then to the Kosovan Distria Krasniqi who has decided to make the leap in category, going from -48 kg (category in which she won the Olympic gold in Tokyo) to this one of -52 kg.
Judo, European Championships 2022: the squad of Italy under X-rays Giuffrida the star, many new names on the launch pad
-57 kg
In this category we could see a nice confrontation between the Kosovar Nora Gjakova and the transalpine Sarah Leonie Cysique. Gjakova, second in the world ranking, has her success in the Tokyo Olympics and a high-level experience from her, as confirmed by the world and European bronzes of the last reviews in which she took part. For her part, the young Cysique, second in Antalya this year and third in Paris, wants to take revenge on what happened in Tokyo given the silver in the Five Circles she took home. Attention then to Darya Bilodid: the Ukrainian judoka, twice world gold in the -48 kg and bronze at the Tokyo Games, has decided to make a big leap in the category and we will see her again as protagonist in the -57 kg. Her curiosity towards her is great.
-63 kg
The French fort for women is also confirmed in this category since Clarisse Agbegnenou leads the ranks in the world ranking. The results from her are remarkable if you think about the gold in Five Circles and World in 2021, without forgetting the European success in 2020. For her an important palmares of successes, given the eight affirmations in the Grand Slams and the two in the Masters . British Lucy Renshall and Slovenian Andreja Leski will try to counter it.
-70 kg
Very interested comparisons are expected in this category, with Croatian Barbara Matic at the top of the world rankings, recalling her third place in the Grand Slam in Paris this year. The world gold in Hungary last year will have to take into account decidedly qualified opponents such as the Dutch Sanne van Dijke and the German Giovanna Scoccimarro, without underestimating the French couple formed by Margaux Pinot and Marie Eve Gahie, with the first coming third at the Grand Slam of Antalya this year and the second which was imposed on the Turkish tatami.
-78 kg
A category in which Germany can present very high profile athletes, such as Anna-Maria Wagner and Luise Malzahn, respectively first and third in the world ranking. Wagner arrives at this appointment with great confidence, given the success of Antalya, also remembering the world title last year and the Olympic bronze in Tokyo. Malzahn is chasing the podium, aiming to find the same condition with which he imposed himself in the Baku Grand Slam of 2021. Obviously, also in this case, France is well represented thanks to Madeline Malonga, Olympic silver in Tokyo, second in the World Cup last year and fifth in the recent appointment in Antalya.
+78 kg
This roundup is completed with yet another Frenchman of the lot, able to do important things. The reference is to Romane Dicko, world n.1 in this category and winner of the Grand Slam in Tel Aviv this 2022. Coming second also in Paris this season, the transalpine is hunting for the European title, wanting to enrich her showcase with other prestigious medals, without forgetting the Olympic bronze. Dicko will have to beware of Israeli Raz Hershko and compatriot Lea Fontaine, winner in Antalya.
Photo: LaPresse
