Belgian Judokas Aim for Success at European Championships

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The Mortselois is aiming for a 2nd continental title after the one won in 2019 in Minsk. Since then, he has added three podiums in as many championships (3rd in 2020, 2nd in 2021 and 2022). His biggest rival will once again be the Georgian Tato Grigalashvili. The double world title holder also has two European titles (2020 and 2022). He is the current world No.2.

Toma Nikiforov will want to take advantage of the Euro, which has been quite successful for him, to move up the world rankings, which is important for Olympic qualification. The Brussels resident, 15th in -100 kg, double European champion 2018 and 2021, has two other medals at the Euro: silver in 2016 and bronze in 2015.

Jorre Verstraeten (-60kg), Mina Libeer (-57kg) and Sami Chouchi (-90 kg), then in -81kg, were on the podium last year at the Euro in Sofia. They will try to do at least as well, even if for Chouchi, who changed category this year, the challenge is difficult.

All judokas will have to score the maximum number of points towards their world ranking. The first seventeen in each category (with only one judoka per country) on June 23, 2024 will be directly qualified for the Paris Olympics.

The Belgian selection:

Women: Ellen Salens (-48kg/IJF 43) et Lois Petit (-48kg/IJF 76), Amber Ryheul (-52kg/IJF 24), Mina Libeer (-57kg/IJF 22) et Vicky Verschaere (-78kg/IJF 102 )

Messieurs: Jorre Verstraeten (-60kg/IJF 13), Abdul Malik Umayev (-73kg/IJF 31), Matthias Casse (-81kg/IJF 1) et Jarne Duyck (-81kg/IJF 134), Karel Foubert (-90kg/IJF 31), Sami Chouchi (-90kg/IJF 43) and Toma Nikiforov (-100kg/IJF 15).

2023-10-31 18:09:49
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