Belgian Judoka Petit Makes Strong Start at Grand Slam in Türkiye

Petit, 49th in the world, started her tournament with a victory against Turkmenistan’s Kurbanay Kurbanova (IJF 74) thanks to two waza-aris. She then followed up with a victory on ippon against the Mauritian Priscilla Morand (IJF 37) before being beaten by ippon in the ‘golden score’ by the Russian Sabina Giliazova (IJF 15).

Petit, 24, achieved the best result of his Grand Slam career last February, finishing in 5th place in Baku.

Amber Ryheul was eliminated in the first round in -52 kg. The Flandrienne, 29th in the world, was beaten in the shidos by the South Korean Yerin Jung (IJF 25).

Jorre Verstraeten, exempt from the first round as 13th in the world, saw his tournament end in his first fight in -60 kg. The native of Louvain was beaten in shidos by the Dutchman Tornike Tsjakadoea (IJF 22) in the second round.

Verstraeten, a three-time bronze medalist at the Euro, took 5th place at the Grand Slam in Tashkent on March 1. He won the gold medal in Antalya in 2021 for the first of his two Grand Slam victories before Budapest in 2022.

Eight Belgian judokas are competing in Türkiye. Alessia Corrao (-73 kg) and Jarne Duyck (-81 kg) will make their debut on Saturday while Karel Foubert (-90 kg), Sami Chouchi (-90 kg) and Toma Nikiforov (-100 kg) will take to the tatamis on Sunday.

2024-03-29 11:58:43
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