Four decades had to pass, from the V World Taekwondo Championship held in 1982so that the Voltaire Colosseum Paladins Polo of Guayaquil once again host a championship of this type. And this Wednesday, August 10, it was a reality with the beginning of the combats of the World Junior Judo Championshipwhich will bring together 378 competitors from 63 countries on five continents until Sunday.
The renovated stage could well be likened to a international arrivaladorned with all the flags of the competing nations, plus the shouts in different languages and overflowing with athletes, judges and coaches from all the countries in competition.
The initial morning session hosted clashes between the men’s categories of -60 and -66 kgas well as the female categories of -48 and -52 kg.
The Ecuadorian delegation, made up for this tournament by 28 judokasdid not have the best start this Wednesday, after Brayan Rivera (-60 kg), Luis Pacheco (-60 kg), Laura Vásquez (-48 kg) and Blanca Chalá (-48 kg) they lost in the first round of their divisions by ippon; while the also tricolors Ian Mendoza (-60 kg), Kevin Ayala (-66 kg) y Scheccid Rivera (-52 kg) they succumbed in this same instance by waza-ari.
For its part, the also Ecuadorian Erika Jarawho won a medal gold at the Pan American Judo Open held last July in Guayaquil, won the botswana in the first round by ippon Humanity Governorsbut then lost in the next phase against the Italian Advanced Asiacurrent #4 judoka in the world in his category.
It should be noted that despite having fallen in their fights, the local participants are not considered completely eliminated, since there is a possibility that they will compete in the playoff to continue in the tournament.
“We are satisfied with the work that has been done so far. It has been a titanic task to be able to organize and deploy all the logistics that we are carrying out to offer a tournament with the top level standards what does the International Federation and that now puts Ecuador on the map of major tournaments in the world”, he specified satisfied on the opening day Roberto Ibanezpresident of the Ecuadorian Judo Federation.
According to the records, this is the sixth world championship of any sport or martial art that is played in Ecuador, something that highlights the importance of the tournament.
The World Junior Judo Championship will continue this Thursday the 11th, Friday the 12th and Saturday the 13th of August with the other weight divisions, and will culminate on Sunday the 14th with the mixed team competition. The delivery to the public is free.
