French juniors take European team title for women

The French Junior women’s team have captured the European title in Maribor. The French were too strong for the talented team of The Netherlands. The Dutch had won three individual European titles, two of them relevant for the team weight categories that starts with U52kg. The French women had only won two medals, but they have a strong reputation in team events.

In the first contest of the team final, European Champion U48kg Amber Gersjes fought U52kg against Coraline Marcus Tabellion, but lost by wazari. Holland’s second European champion Larissa van Krevel got caught after a minute with a beautifully timed kosoto by Sarah Leonie Cysique, who finished the match easily by osaekomi. Almost an impossible match to overcome for Holland, but the Dutch had another individual European Champion in Sanne Vermeer, who made a small foot sweep against Yasmine Horlaville in the golden score of the match and brought back the excitement in the final.

Agathe Devitry got three penalties in her match against Hilde Jager and that gave Holland the equalizer. Nonetheless, France brought in their European Champion, Romane Dicko, in the decisive match against Ilona Lucassen, who normally fights U78kg. In the last minute Dicko scored a wazari after a counter attack managed to take control over Lucassen in osaekomi, bringing the European title to France. Also in Budapest she brought her country the decisive medal, then at senior level.