Golden Glory for Sara Coni in Genova as British Judokas Compete Across Europe

British judokas were in action across Europe this weekend, competing at the European Open in Ljubljana, the Junior European Cup in Sarajevo, and the Cadet European Cup in Genova. While several athletes delivered strong performances, it was Camberley Judo Club’s Sara Coni who stole the spotlight in Italy, claiming an impressive gold medal in the Cadet European Cup.

Alongside Coni’s triumph, a number of British judokas secured top-seven finishes, showcasing their potential on the international stage.

Coni dominated the -44kg category, starting her campaign with a blistering performance against Italy’s Elisa Bottero, securing Ippon in just 17 seconds. In the quarter-final, she faced Spain’s Elena Bahamonde Garcia, scoring a Waza-ari before ultimately sealing the win with another Ippon.

Her commanding early performances earned her a spot in the semi-finals, where she encountered her toughest challenge yet against France’s Mathilde Aurel. The contest went into golden score, with Coni picking up a Shido along the way. However, she maintained her composure and secured victory with a newly introduced Yuko, booking her place in the final.

With gold in sight, Camberley’s Coni delivered an outstanding performance against France’s Miriam Tempesta. She scored a Waza-ari before finishing the contest in style, registering Ippon to claim the title.

In the -48kg category in Italy, Blyth Juno Michi’s Taylor Chrisp secured an impressive 5th-place finish. She performed strongly in the Round of 32, Round of 16, and quarter-finals, but faced tough opposition in the semi-final and bronze medal matches. Despite not making the podium, Chrisp showed great promise and proved she can compete at the highest level internationally.

Finally, in the -50kg division, Sportif’s Coen Gilbert also secured an impressive 5th place finish, following in the footsteps of Taylor Chrisp. After advancing to the quarter-finals, Gilbert fought through the repechage to reach the bronze medal match, where he faced tough opposition, ultimately falling short. His efforts throughout the competition showcased his talent and rounds off the top performers at the Genova Cadet European Cup.

Onto Sarajevo and the Junior European Cup, where, unfortunately, no British judokas secured medals. However, several athletes achieved strong results, finishing in the top 7 of this highly competitive event.

Blyth Juno Michi’s Anya Hassan was the highest British finisher, taking 5th place in the -78kg category. She opened with a dominant Ippon victory in the Round of 16 and then battled through a tough quarter-final, scoring two Yuko’s, one Waza-ari, and ultimately winning by Waza-ari Awasete Ippon. Despite her impressive performance, Hassan was unable to secure victories in the semi-final and bronze medal match.

Newbury JC’s Olivia Delahunty finished 7th in the -63kg division, while Westcroft Judo’s Daniel Ede also claimed 7th in the +100kg category. Both judokas showed great potential in a challenging field, rounding off a solid showing for Team GB in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Finally, GB faced exceptionally tough competition at the Ljubljana European Open. The high level of the field meant that no British competitors made it into the top 7.

Congratulations to all the British judokas who competed over the weekend, representing the nation on the international stage!

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