On the second day of the Junior European Cup in Malaga, it was no surprise that Japan were once again a strong and talented team with three gold medals. Behind Japan, Germany claimed two titles on Sunday.
We will start with the first and only gold medal for Spain in the female U48kg category. The Spanish have a reputation in this category of ‘Spaniards’. The Spaniards, along with Julia Figueroa, Laura Martinez and Mireia Lapuerta, have three world-class athletes, but Spain also have a choice among the juniors, resulting in the Spain U48kg final. Gemma María Gómez Antonona won the gold medal against Eva Pérez Solar in the final on Sunday. Bulgarian owner Anastasia Balaban won bronze and Portuguese talent Rahul Brito won eleven young women. Despite the strength of the Spanish lightweights, Spain won this weight class 6 years ago, with Laura Martinez being the previous winner in 2016. Japan’s top athlete Wakana Koga was the winner in the previous edition in 2019.
The important thing for the Spaniards was the German final in the U52kg category. Nicole Stakov defeated Lena DiGerio. Pihla Salonen (FIN) and Arian Toro Solar (ESP) won bronze medals. This is Germany’s fifth victory in this category since Teresa Stoll won the title in 2012.
Japan added a new title in the women’s U57kg with Akari Omori defeating Maelenn Cotard of France. The Spanish Adriana Rodríguez Salvador and Deniba Conare Sissoko won bronze medals among 24 participants. Omori follows Erica Okada (JPN) who won in 2019.
In the men’s event, the Swiss team again won the gold medal for Aurelian Bonferoni. Bonferoni defeated Guido Amano of Japan in the final. Bonferoni was the first winner in Spain, a tournament with history in Malaga and La Coruña. Jன்rn Duic (BEL) and Loic Jerosa (SUI) won bronze medals in the Malaga U81 kg category.
In the 90kg weight class, Japan’s Junnosuke Todaka won gold against his compatriot Riku Okada (JPN). This is Japan’s first victory over Spain in this category. Denmark won a nice bronze medal after David Ivanian won his last match. Romeo Lவெvez from France added a second bronze medal.
With no room for Japanese conquerors, it was a strong camp for men weighing 100 kg. George Utsilari from Germany is fit. After his bronze in Nanterre, he this time won the gold medal after the final against the Dutch talent Lars Wissers. After the victory in Coimbatore, his strong teammate Sylvan Bultuis won the Useful Bronze Medal and was unable to participate in Lignano after Govt. The second gold medal was won by Bocton Petre from Romania. Ole Path from Germany won this category last 2019, and now a German winner again.
Japanese heavyweight Mitsuki Sukavara weighed in at +100kg and did not disappoint. In the final he defeated Oleksi Halaka (UKR). Estonian athlete Carl Brilin Dirk won the bronze medal. Only five people attended this class.
