We continue our series of players profiles for the 2016 Glasgow European Open with a look at players from the -57kg, -66kg and -73kg weight categories.
Acelya Toprak
Age: 18
Best Result: Gold 2016 Paks Junior European Cup, Paks, Hungary; Fifth 2016 Junior European Judo Championships, Malaga, Spain
Acelya Toprak has made seamless transition from Cadet to Junior level judo in 2016 with four Junior European Cup medals including gold in Hungary and an impressive bronze in St Petersburg. Toprak also impressed at the Junior Europeans in Malaga where she just missed out on a bronze medal.
Jessica Klimkait
Age: 19
Best Result: 5th 2016 Pan American Championships; Silver 2015 San Salvador Pan American Open.
The Canadian judoka already has quite a bit of experience at senior level having competed at senior Continental Championships and Grand Slams. Her only defeats in a fifth place finish at this year’s Pan Americans were to Marti Malloy (London 2012 bronze medallist) and Rafaela Silva (Rio 2016 Olympic champion).
Sam Hall
Age: 21
Best Result: Silver 2015 Junior European Championships, Oberwart, Austria.
Sam Hall enjoyed a successful career at Junior level culminating in his silver at the Junior Europeans last year. Hall is an exciting and dynamic judoka and after moving up to -66kg category this year he will be hoping to make a big impact in front of a home crowd.
Manuel Lombardo
Age: 17
Best Result: Gold 2015 Cadet European Championships, Sofia, Bulgaria.
Although only 17 years of age this Italian is already one to watch. Lombardo will want to follow in the footsteps of his countryman Fabio Basile who won bronze in Glasgow last year just ten months before his famous gold in Rio.
Aaron Turner
Age: 24
Best Result: Bronze 2015 San Salvador Pan American Open.
The Camberley judoka has moved up to -73kg this year having previously enjoyed success in the -66kgs with a couple of Pan American bronze medals in 2015. Turner lost to Rio 2016 champion Fabio Basile in the bronze medal match in Glasgow last year.
Sam Van T Westende
Age: 25
Best Result: Gold 2015 Sofia European Open, Sofia, Bulgaria.
Dutch judoka Van T Westende won silver in Glasgow last year and will hope to go one better at the Emirates Arena next month. He recently won silver at the Tallinn European Open and is a multiple Senior National champion.
The 2016 Glasgow European Judo Open on 15th October 2016 at the Emirates Arena, Glasgow will be the British public’s first chance to watch some international judo after the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Don’t miss your chance to watch some exciting judo action. Tickets for adults (£5) and children (£2.50) are still available.
For ticket orders of 11 tickets or more please contact 01413 538000
