Ai Tsunoda was one of the firmest medal hopes of the Spanish delegation that traveled to the Mediterranean Games in Oran and the Lleida woman not only fulfilled expectations, but she did so by climbing to the top of the podium to win gold in the category of less than 70 kilograms. The judoka from the Dojo Lleida made her debut in the competition getting rid of Aleksandra Samardzic, from Bosnia Herzegovina, a victory that gave her direct pass to the semifinals, where she defeated the Slovenian Anka Pogacnik. Already in the fight for gold, Tsunoda beat the Tunisian Nihel Landolsi by Ipon.
Yesterday Aleix Porras also entered the competition, who last Saturday was proclaimed absolute state champion of the 400 meter hurdles, with a record included. But the Lleida native was unable to extend his good performance over the weekend as he was eliminated in the distance series in Oran. For her part, the swimmer Paula Juste, from CN Lleida, debuts today at the Games in the 400 styles.
As for the rest of the day, judo gave another two medals to the Spanish delegation, both bronze medals by Cristina Cabaña, in the -63 kg category, and Alfonso Urquiza, in the -81 kg category. The boxers Marta López and Laura Fuertes, and the table tennis player María Xiao also climbed to the third drawer of the podium, while Carlos López and Álvaro López achieved silver in tennis doubles. In water polo, both the men’s and women’s teams qualified for the semi-finals.
