Fran Garrigos confirms with the triple

Francisco Garrigos of Spain secured his third European Championship title by defeating Balabya Aghayev of Azerbaijan in the -60kg category at the European Championships in Zagreb. This victory establishes Garrigos as the most successful Spanish man in the history of the European championships.

The 29-year-old, currently ranked as the world number one, expressed his delight at winning the gold medal, emphasizing the significance of this achievement, especially considering the challenging semi-final match against Yildiz. Garrigos sees this victory as a positive sign for his preparations leading up to the Olympic Games in Paris, affirming that everything is going according to plan. Salih Yildiz of Turkiye captured a bronze medal and shared the podium with Frenchman Cedric Revol. 

Garrigos secured his victory over Balabay Aghayev of Azerbaijan by utilizing his strength in ne waza, particularly with an iron-clad osae komi. This win marked his third European title and his seventh senior continental medal.

As the Olympic countdown progresses, with only 14 weeks remaining, Garrigos is focusing on fine-tuning his preparations. He plans to compete in the World Championships in Abu Dhabi before Paris and aims to assess his form in May to address any weaknesses before the Games. While acknowledging the uncertainties of the Olympics, Garrigos remains confident in his abilities and chances of winning a medal in Paris. He emphasizes the importance of being well-prepared and expresses his determination to give his best effort in pursuit of success.

Cedric Revol of France clinched the bronze medal in the -60kg category in just over a minute against Artem Lesiuk of Ukraine, executing a well-timed o soto gari. After his victory, he celebrated with his family and his beautiful child, marking his second bronze medal at a European Championships. While Azerbaijan had the potential for two medals, the second bronze was awarded to Salih Yildiz of Turkey instead, as Turan Bayramov was disqualified (hansoku make) for throwing against the elbow.

Nazim Huseynov (AZE) was the last one in 1992 who won the European title in 1992 and added the Olympic title a few months later.