Girl Power helps British Judo to gold in Kiev

Young British Judoka enjoyed a hugely successful weekend bringing home five medals at the Kiev European Cup for Juniors between 18 and 19 April.

The EJU event, taking place in Kiev, Ukraine, saw some of Europe’s top juniors in competition, with GB judoka taking two gold and three bronze medals.

Both golds and two bronze medals came in the women’s categories with 2013 European Championship squad member Nekoda Davis emerging triumphant over Russian Daria Mezhetskaia winning by Ippon in the -57kg final. Her journey to the final saw her secure two victories by Ippon, one by waza-ari, with a narrow victory in the other contest with two shidos all that was separating Nekoda and her opponent.

The women’s -63kg category saw Britain’s Katie-Jemima Yeats-Brown claiming victory, beating Daniela Kazanoi by ippon in the final, with the Belarusian only managing one Yuko against the British girl. After winning her first contest by waza-ari she then swept the board with three ippons in her remaining fights.

Hayley Willis won a bronze medal in the women’s -48kg category recovering from a narrow semi-final defeat to beat Russia’s Olga Tarasova to the medal, whilst Jodie Myers achieved bronze for GB at +78kg after securing ippon against Uzbekistani Saneayim Erkinbaeva.

Philip Awiti-Alcaraz in the -100kg category took the final bronze for Britain claiming victory in the bronze medal contest over Hayitjon Temirov of Uzbekistan by ippon.
Natasha Maslen, finished fifth in the -70kg category, losing out in the semi-final before a bronze medal contest defeat to Russia’s Anna Hizhina.

Image Courtesy of EJU.net