Germany strong at second day at Euro Open in Gyor

At the second day of the Gyor European Open 2024 Adrian Sulca of Romania, known for his successes in the U73kg category early in his career, made a seamless transition to the U81kg category. Despite facing stiff competition, Sulca showcased his skills and claimed the gold medal with a series of impressive techniques, including an initial kata guruma followed by a decisive juji gatame.

In the U90kg final, local favorite Gergely Nerpel of Hungary electrified the crowd as he faced off against Yaroslav Davydchuk of Ukraine. Despite a valiant effort, Nerpel fell short as Davydchuk showcased his formidable ne waza skills, securing victory with a juji gatame. Reflecting on his performance, Davydchuk expressed gratitude to his coaches and attributed his success to their support and guidance, highlighting his journey from sambo to judo and won his first World Cup in judo in his career.

The U100kg category witnessed an intense showdown between Laurin Boehler of Austria and Simeon Catharina of the Netherlands. Boehler emerged victorious with a well-executed uchi mata, clinching the gold medal and ensuring Austria's success in the competition.

Frey's victory in the +100kg category propelled his team to the top of the medal table, setting the stage for an exciting continuation of the tournament in Baku.

Meanwhile, in the U70kg category, Dutch teammates Sanne Vermeer and Margit de Voogd, both returning from injuries, competed for the gold. Vermeer emerged victorious with a well-executed osae komi, solidifying the Netherlands' dominance in women's judo. Despite the competitive spirit, there were no hard feelings between the teammates, with De Voogd expressing her desire to defeat Vermeer in a friendly manner. It was her 12th World Cup victory.

In the -78kg category, U23 Vice Champion Rafaella Igl of Germany faced off against Yael van Heemst of the Netherlands in a highly anticipated final. Despite nerves, Igl secured victory with a swift ashi guruma, highlighting the competitive nature of the event.

In her debut European Open, European Junior Champion Paulien Sweers of the Netherlands surprised herself with a gold medal victory in the women's +78kg category. Sweers credited her success to her journey and recent club change, highlighting the impact it had on her first European Open golden performance.

Overall, the competition showcased tales of injury recovery and remarkable comebacks, with athletes like Adrian Sulca and Johannes Frey delivering standout performances of the ones woh came back from a heavy injury such as Vermeer, Boehler, Frey, Van Heemst and many more.