This week sees the latest competition in the EJU calendar, the Junior European Judo Championships in Vantaa, Finland with 194 men and 149 women taking part – a total of 343 athletes in all.

We have three athletes taking part in the competition – Dato Matsoulatov in the -73Kg category, Georgios Kroussaniotakis in the -90Kg category and representing the women Sofia Asvesta in the -52Kg category.

The boys are playing tomorrow and that meant that Sofia was first up.

Her first competitor was Timea Kardos from Hungary who has already won the Poznan Junior European Cup this year. The contest was very close and Sofia received a Shido penalty after 1 minute and then again at the three minute mark. With 15 seconds remaining in the contest, Sofia threw the Hungarian athlete with a Waza-Ari and went on to win the contest.

Next up was Gultaj Mammadaliyeva from Azerbaijan, third in the Antalya Grand Prix and first place in the Cluj-Napoca European Open. After 45 seconds Sofia countered and threw her opponent for a Waza-Ari.  Her opponent received a Shido after 80 seconds and the closely fought match continued with her opponent scoring a Waza-Ari with 48 seconds to go to level the scores and we headed towards the Golden Score. A shido for Sofia in the third minute and then Sofia was caught and then thrown for a contest winning Waza ari.

Sofia went on to the Repechage where she fought Naomi Van Krevel from The Netherlands, previous winner of the Cadet European Cup.  Both athletes received a Shido in the second minute of the competition and then 30 seconds later the Dutch athlete threw Sofia for Ippon.

Sofia came SEVENTH overall – seventh IN EUROPE!

This is an excellent result and this has earned her a place in the “Young Champions” programme organised by the Cyprus Sports Organisation.

Well done to Sofia – an excellent result.

Cyprus Judo Federation – We Have A Dream