Aaron Fara overwhelmed after great victory in Antalya

Aaron Fara impresses not only the public and observers but also his opponents. For two years, he has been competing in many events and until recently without much success. Things began to change in June 2022 when Fara came out on top at the Madrid European Open. It was a few weeks ago in Tashkent that the 25-year-old judoka exploded into open view when he reached that grand slam final in Antalya.

The day ended for Aaron Fara as it started, with an unbelievably massive obi-tori-gaeshi. Actually the second one in the final was a repetition of the first that came only a few seconds before. Eich knew it, he had to know it, but he couldn't avoid Fara lifting him up, throwing him across the tatami. It was Ippon and a gold medal for Fara. All other judoka have now been warned.

With big obi-tori-gaeshi blows that literally tear his opponents off the ground to make them fly over him, Fara reaped the victories today in Antalya, qualifying again for the final. Nothing seems to be able to stop him anymore. Perfectly coached by Yvonne Snir-Bönisch and conscientiously applying her guidance and the tactics requested, he wins and wins again. If he was not seeded in Antalya, he could soon be in the future, if he continues to chain performances together like this.

Facing him in the final, we found a judoka who we know to be solid and powerful, Daniel Eich (SUI). He thwarted all the pitfalls of the preliminaries and there were many of them, including world medallist Kyle Reyes (CAN) and Bojan Dosen (SRB) who scored waza-ari from the start, but whom Eich crucified with a magnificent sasae-tsuri-komi-ashi.

Nurlykhan Sharkhan (KAZ) and Bojan Dosen (SRB) met in the first match for a bronze medal. This was an intense match, Dosen being penalised twice but throwing while Sharkhan was hyper active but could not throw. In the end it was Dosen who took the medal back home.

Kyle Reyes (CAN) and Simeon Catharina (NED) battled for the second bronze medal. The first shido came with 1:24 to go, Catharina showing some first signs of tiredness, but Reyes was also tired and the two men had to dig in deeply to find the necessary resources. Eventually the Dutch judoka received a second and third shido, offering the victory to Kyle Reyes.