Brilliant final between Tcheumeo and Wagner decided by resilience

The final showdown in the women's U78kg category at the European Championships in Zagreb was nothing short of spectacular, pitting Anna-Maria Wagner of Germany against Audrey Tcheumeo of France. Tcheumeo, seeking her fifth title, faced off against former World Champion Wagner, aiming for her first European gold. In the early stages of the match, Wagner took the initiative, forcing Tcheumeo to concede two shidos.

However, as the contest entered golden score, Wagner began to falter, falling prey to Tcheumeo's seasoned ashi waza techniques, culminating in a skillful ko uchi gari and o soto gari combination. For Tcheumeo, the victory was not only emotional but also marked her fifth European Championship title, a remarkable achievement thirteen years after her maiden triumph in Istanbul in 2011.

Expressing her delight after the win, Tcheumeo reflected on her journey, highlighting the challenges she had faced since her last victory in March 2023. Despite encountering formidable opponents such as defending champion Alina Böhm in the quarter-finals and world number one Inbar Lanir in the semi-finals, Tcheumeo maintained her composure and relied on her intuitive reactions to secure the title once again. Asked about her consistent performance at the European Championships, Tcheumeo attributed it to her relaxed mindset and the absence of pressure, given her extensive title-winning record. Nevertheless, she admitted that she had not expected to emerge victorious and cherished the significance of this triumph.

Meanwhile, Böhm's quest for a third consecutive title in the -78kg category was thwarted, although she managed to secure a bronze medal against Yelyzaveta Lytvynenko of Ukraine with an early waza ari score. In the other bronze medal match, current World Champion Inbar Lanir faced off against Patricia Sampaio of Portugal, swiftly countering Sampaio's attack with an ippon-scoring ura nage just 19 seconds into the bout, securing her second bronze medal of the tournament.