Slovenian World Champion Tina Trstenjak finally wins the European title

Tina Trstenjak of Slovenia became the new European Champion. In Kazan she won her fourth consecutive medal, but this time it was gold for the World Champion who seems to have launched herself as favourite for the Olympic title in Rio in 105 days.

Tina Trstenjak is the undisputed favourite in advance, even against Austrian Kathrin Unterwurzacher who defeated her twice.  Unterwurzacher is back after an injury but got in shape at the Grand in Tbilisi and bronze in Samsun. Trstenjak led halfway the match with a yuko for a left seoi nage, but she managed to control Unterwurzacher in a oseikomi one minute for the end and scored ippon.

With President Vladimir Putin on the tribune who opened the European Championships this afternoon a lot of expected were on the back of Ekaterina Valkova. But the active Russian had a good bronze match against Italian Edwige Gwend who was in 2010 in the European final. But Valkova had the better start and led by yuko after 30 seconds. Despite two penalties Valkova could defend her lead and even score a second yuko. Valkova won Russia’s third medal this tournament.

Dutch Anicka van Emden captured her third European medal in her career by defeating Israelian 2013 World Champion Yarden Gerbi. Gerbi defeated her four times, but now it was Van Emden who struck back with one penalty difference, for the first time since 2011.

This Olympic cycle European Champions

2016      Tina Trstenjak (SLO)

2015      Martyna Trajdos (GER)

2014      Clarisse Agbegnenou (FRA)

2013      Clarisse Agbegnenou (FRA)

2012      Gévrise Emane (FRA)

Short Profile Tina Trstenjak

Tina Trstenjak finally won the European title after three other medals. The Slovenian won the World title in 2015 in Astana. She won World bronze in 2014. She won silver though at the European Games in Baku last year. She is oart of the successful team of  Slovenia and coached by Olympic champion Urska Zolnir. In 2015 Trstenjak won the Grand Slam Paris and Grand Prix Düsseldorf in 2016.