Four gold medals for Japanese women at European Open Sofia

Japan captured all gold medals at the first day of the European Open in Sofia. Two of them were All Japan finals, Germany by Sappho Coban and Great Britain with Lucy Renshall took the two remaining silver medals.

The final U48kg was between two Japanese lightweights Mai Umekita and Yuri Morizaki. Umekita defeated German Champion Katharina Menz in the semi final whilst Yurie Morizaki bested Israelian Shira Rishony. The final was captured by Morizaki who won by two wazari after four minutes. Shirine Boukli (FRA) and Noa Minsker (ISR) won the bronze.

The gold was for Mako Uchio who made a small difference in the golden score after 100 seconds after Tatsukawa pulled Uchio to the ground. A surprise U52kg was the defeat of both Brazilians Erika Miranda and Sarah Menezes, or wasn't it a huge surprise? As Miranda lost to Rina Tatsukawa (JPN) who reached the final against Mako Uchio. Sarah Menezes lost to Miriam Schneider which was a nice match as both know eachother from the trainingcamp in Castelldefels where they both practised on eachother. Still Menezes won in her new category U52kg, but in the next match the 2012 Olympic Champion U48kg lost to Distria Krasniqi, the world junior champion of Kosovo who was just a little further. She reached the semi final but lost to the later winner Uchio. Ecaterina Guica of Canada lost to Tatsukawa and won the bronze medal against Chelsie Giles (GBR).

The only Japanese judoka in the final for women U57kg was Haruka Funakubo, and she took the gold. A silver medal for Sappho Coban of Germany who was in a hold down by Funakubo within a minute. Coban defeated Sarah Harachi in the semi final and Funakubo bested Margriet Bergstra (NED) in the semis. Dutch woman Bergstra lost her bronze match against Nora Gjakova. The Kosovarian lost to Harachi in the quarter. Harachi defeated Amelie Stoll (GER) in her last match.

Shiori Sato was the sixth Japanese in the final and also she took gold against Lucy Renshall of Great Britain. In the golden score it was Renshall who received a shido which was decisive for the match. Renshall defeated Lara Reimann in the semi final who had to fight Stefanie Tremblay who was the second Canadian with bronze today. Vivian Herrmann lost to Nadja Bazynski for bronze U63kg.

The Japanese women were superior in Sofia.On Sunday five other Japanese women are in action in Sofia.