(Belga) Jeroen Casse (IJF 86) was eliminated in the first round of repechage in the -73 kg category on Saturday at the Portuguese Judo Grand Prix, on Saturday in Almada.
Casse started with an ippon win over Slovenian Martin Hojak (IJF 23). He then beat, on waza-ari, the Portuguese Joao Crisostomo (IJF 272) before defeating, on ippon, the Georgian Luka Kapanadze (IJF 397). Matthias Casse’s brother then lost on ippon in the quarter-finals against Kazakh Zhansay Smagulov (IJF 17), which sent him to repechage. Casse faced the Moldovan Adil Osmanov (IJF 127), losing on ippon to the golden score. On Friday, Ellen Salens (IJF 31) was eliminated, on ippon, in the first round by Turkmen Kurbanay Kurbanova (IJF 175) in -48 kg. Amber Ryheul (IJF 27) had also failed to win her first fight, losing, on ippon, against Kazakh Aigerim Abilkadirova (unclassified) in -52 kg. Sunday, it will be the turn of Sami Chouchi (unclassified) and Karel Foubert (IJF 129) to get on the tatami in -90 kg. This will be the first tournament in this category for Sami Chouchi, who has decided to go from -81 to -90 kg in the hope of being able to go to the Paris Olympic Games in 2024. The Brussels man, 6th in the world in -81 kg, was helmed by Matthias Casse, 2nd in the world, on the road to the Games. Only one judoka per category and per country is indeed authorized at the Olympics. (Belga)
