Promising Results from IBSA European Championships
Three GB Judoka were in action at the IBSA European Championships in Calgary, Italy, with the team coming away with a 4th and two 5th place finishes.
In the absence of stalwarts Chris Skelley (wedding) and Jack Hodgson (injury), it was Connah Anders, Evan Molloy and Kirsten Taylor that were flying the GB flag.
Competing on the opening day Connah Anders (Coach: Fitzroy Davies; Club: Hardy Spicer 83) defeated Anar Ismayilzada (AZE) in the opening round of the J1 -73kg, in just 30 seconds, before he was defeated in the Quarter-Final against Dong Dong Camanni (ITA).
This saw Anders progress to the Repechage where he defeated Oleg Nemtan (MDA) in just 6 seconds to book his place in the bronze medal contest to face Djibrilo Iafa (POR).
Iafa picked up a waza-ari score early in the contest before securing the bronze medal following a second score. The result saw Anders finish in 5th, a career-best finish by the British fighter.
Day two saw 2nd seed Evan Molloy (Mark Burbridge; Devizes JC) in action. Molloy defeated Petre Prundaru (ROU) in the Quarter-Finals of the J2 -90kg following an opening round bye. Molloy was then defeated by Paralympic silver (Rio 2016) and bronze (Tokyo 2020) medallist Oleksandr Nazarenko (UKR) in the Semi-Finals, meaning he progressed to the Bronze Medal Contest to face London 2012 Paralympic Champion Dmytro Solovey (UKR).
Despite dominating the contest, Molloy was caught late in the fight and was pinned for ippon score, meaning he finished 5th.
The J2 +70kg medallists were decided by way of Round Robin due to there only being five entrants. GB’s Kirsten Taylor (David Scobie; Tayside JC) defeated Michela Peli (ITA) in her opening contest, applying a strangle and forcing her opponent to submit.
Taylor lost to Prescilla Leze (FRA) and Dursadaf Karimova (AZE) in her second and third contests. Leze registered a waza-ari score before pinning Taylor for ippon score, whilst Karimova registered an ippon score by way of newaza.
Taylor gave a great account of herself in the final contest against Paralympic bronze medallist Carolina Costa (ITA) but defeat saw her finish 4th overall.
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