Despite his ranking though, Casse has not had an easy day in Linz. His first contest, in the round of 32, was against a junior but one who was European Youth Olympic champion and who is climbing the senior ranks slowly but surely. Joshua De Lange (NED) won a medal at the Warsaw European Open two weeks ago and did not look out of place against Casse in Austria, losing via penalties at the end of a generally positive judo outing. Casse’s challenges were not over there. Izawa (JPN), just 20 and out here earning his stripes, warning him several times, attacking with a fast tomoe-nage repeatedly without a score. The score came though, in the end, and it was ippon. Casse was out and Izawa had made it to the quarter-final.
Izawa’s day was not necessarily getting any easier either, as facing him in the round of 8 was a newcomer to the category but not a newcomer to the World Judo Tour. Yuldoshev (UZB) has a world medal, a Masters medal and an Asian Games gold at -73 kg and in his new category he looks strong and ready for the jump up. Izawa had the misfortune to feel that readiness. Yuldoshev threw him and later held him and to be honest, it didn’t look like he was pushed. The Uzbek means business! Yuldoshev had trouble from Bernd Fasching (AUT) in the semi-final but he found his route through it.
Olympian Antonio Esposito (ITA), unlike many seeds on middleweight day, held his seeding well. He reached the semi-final of the category by throwing Joji Togo (JPN) with a sweet little ko-uchi-gari for a yuko in the last minute and managing the remaining seconds like an expert. This is his first event since the Olympic Games and he looks as if he hasn’t even missed a day!
Let’s enjoy a recap of Aqulina Chayeb’s (LBN) morning too. The Lebanese judoka, competing in the last quarter at -70 kg, has been collecting results at the junior level: several cup medals and 2 continental medals. Upper Austria is her 8th World Judo Tour event even though she is only 20 years old. She was yet to place among the seniors but today was different.
She threw and held Alamin (USA) in the first round and then shocked Tais Pina (POR) by throwing her in the final moments of their contest. She reached the quarter-final and the emotions, including relief, were clear.
World silver medallist Lara Cvjetko (CRO), however, a firm favourite in the -70 kg category and number one seed, succumbed to the energy of another underdog when Fohouo (SUI) threw her with o-soto-gari to secure her place in the quarter-final stage. The other Swiss athlete, Vetterli won her quarter-final in the same category and then Fohouo followed suit and so both Swiss women reached semi-finals.
At -73 kg, in the bottom quarter, there was a happy story unfolding for the tournament organisers as Samuel Gassner (AUT) delighted the home crowd when he passed junior world medallist Gasaloev (BEL) set up a meeting with Olympic silver medallist Gaba (FRA). The Frenchman threw and registered a small score and it looked, until the last moment, as if Gassner would be out but he would not give up and exactly as the bell sounded, he scored his own yuko to equalise. 43 seconds into golden score he then countered the French hero to earn another yuko and the right to fight again. This was real drama, a nail-biting contest that sent the crowd up an down an emotional roller-coaster track.
Gassner continued, throwing Oliver Short (GBR) in golden score to reach the last 8, guaranteeing himself and Austria at least a placing. So far in the tournament, the hosts haven’t fared too well but Gassner has already had a brilliant day regardless of the later rounds. But it continued, he carried the momentum with him and from a waza-ari down countered Demirel for ippon with a beautiful uchi-mata to win his quarter-final and place an Austrian in the final block. A semi-final was still to come but with that draw, at the start of the day, he would not have been predicted to travel so far. It has been incredible to watch and with the home spectators totally behind him, the atmosphere in the arena has been fantastic.
Like Gassner, Giovanni Esposito had a fantastic day, on the other side of the draw. He only hasd trouble with one opponent, understandably, as it was former world number one at -66 kg, Denis Vieru (MDA), now becoming a staple of the -73 kg category. Vieru had the lead, by a yuko, but Esposito wasn’t happy with the status quo and threw him for a waza-ari with a well planned sumi-gaeshi. As that was a round of 16 contest, Vieru was out. Esposito moved into the final masterfully, whereas Gassner lost out in his semi-final and would have to be satisfied with a bronze medal contest.
Giovanni’s big brother, not wanting to be outdone, took charge of his -81 kg semi-final against Bonferroni (SUI) and simply did not let him attack. Esposito gripped better, attacked often and forced three penalties in fairly quick succession, ensuring an Esposito would appear in each of the men’s finals on day two in Linz.
The last category to mention is the 63’s, topped by Laura Fazliu (KOS), Olympic and world bronze medallist. She was on her way from the first rounds, passing all who challenged but she came unstuck in her semi-final against Japan’s 19-year-old So Morichika, a tactical victory. There was a similar story on the other side of the draw as second seed Renata Zachova (CZE) also flew to the semi-final but there she lost to Kaja Kajzer (SLO), also on penalties.
The morning session has been littered with powerful ippons as well as swift, well-timed ashi-waza, a real joy to watch for judo fans both on site and at home. Stay tuned for a loaded final block, beginning at 5pm local time.