Toma Nikiforov (IJF 19) should be competing in his third Olympic Games in Paris in two months. Even if the rankings of the International Judo Federation (IJF) have yet to be made official, the Brussels native, despite an entry defeat in less than 100 kg against the Dutchman Simeon Catharina (IJF 27) at the Abu Dhabi World Championships, this Thursday , will benefit, according to initial calculations, from the continental quota place allocated to Belgium.
Nikiforov, who had started his fight against Catharina well by scoring waza ari with a shoulder movement after 1 min 30, then lost the thread of the match against a more aggressive opponent who was constantly seeking to penalize him by pushing him out. of the carpet. After receiving two penalties, the Belgian in turn conceded a waza ari on the counter. And if, in the golden score, the Dutchman was finally sanctioned twice for his attitude, he ended up throwing a shoulder movement after 5 min 32 of the fight.
Nikiforov and his entourage then took out the calculators. Before the competition, he occupied, in fact, the last place directly qualifying for the Olympics in his category. Fortunately for him, among the opponents who were hot on his heels in the Olympic rankings, only the Austrian Fara managed to win a fight in Abu Dhabi, which should allow the Schaerbeekois to inherit the continental quota place for our country.
Good news for him which is also bad news for Mina Libeer (less than 57 kg), who until then held the continental quota place for Belgium. But as there can only be one per country, it will no longer be able to benefit from it.
As in Tokyo three years ago, Belgium will therefore send four judokas to the Olympic Games: Jorre Verstraeten (-60 kg), Matthias Casse (-81 kg), Toma Nikiforov (-100 kg) and Gabriella Willems (-70 kg). ).
THE PODIUMS
Men. Less than 100 kg: 1. Kotsoiev (Pot) ; 2. Elnahas (Can) ; 3. Arai (Jap) and Sherazadishvili (Esp). More than 100 kg: 1. : Kim Min-jong (CdS) ; 2. Tushishvili (Géo); 3. Bashaev (AIN) et Yusupov (Ouz).
Women. More than 78 kg: 1. Thomas (Jap) ; 2. Ozdemir (Tur); 3. Kim Ha-yun (CdS) and Ozturk (Tur).
THE BELGIAN JOURNEY
Toma Nikiforov (less than 100 kg, IJF 19) loses against Catharina (PB, 27) ippon (golden score).
2024-05-23 17:25:33
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