Judo puzzle falls into place for Dutchman Simeon Catharina

We knew Simeon Catharina was a talent, he won 3 titles at European Cups for Cadets this season and took silver at the strong European Cup in Berlin. But at the European Championships he wasn’t awarded with the expected gold based upon his pre-season. In Sarajevo at the World Championships all pieces of this season’s puzzle fell into place with the world title, the second for Holland.

The Dutchman was bronze medallist at the EYOF last week and Catharina took bronze at the European Championships in Sofia in June. In Sarajevo he delivered gold to the Netherlands as he won his country’s second gold medal of the competition. Catharina squeezed out Cadet European Championships winner Zelym Kotsoiev of Azerbaijan by a yuko which was the only time the scoreboard was troubled.

In the first semi-final Catharina came from behind to deny two-time Cadet European Cup winner Adam Khadzhi Mutaliev from Russia a passage into the final as he won by ippon having trailed to a yuko. Mutaliev was the one who beat Catharina in Berlin in May’s final.

In the second semi-final Kotsoiev defeated All Japan Cadet Championships winner Iwaki Keisuke (JPN) with little resistance as he scored yuko and the ippon inside 43 seconds.

The first bronze medal was clinched by EYOF winner Onise Saneblidze (GEO) who lifted up Iwaki (JPN) with a monumental ura-nage for ippon with two minutes remaining. The second bronze medal was won by Cadet European Cup silver medallist Anton Sachylovich (BLR) who edged out Mutaliev (RUS) on shido penalties with two against the Russian while the former pitched an unblemished record.  

An amazing record for the Netherlands these two gold medals including Sanne Vermeer U70kg, and silver for Jorien Visser U48kg.