JudoOn the second day of the European Judo Championship in Prague, Sanne van Dijke reached the final in the weight class up to 70 kg. Van Dyck, 25, is seeking her second European title in the capital of the Czech Republic. It was already the best in the European Championships in Warsaw in 2017.
In the absence of four-time European champion Kim Bowling, who decided not to participate in the Corona period, Van Dyck is the only Dutch trump card in the weight class up to 70 kg. She only had to play three matches to reach the final. Van Dyck won them all with an Eppon. She will play Margo Pinot later on Friday in a repeat of last year’s European Championship final in Minsk. Then the French won and Van Dyck was forced to take silver.
Jules Fransen (-63kg) and Frank de Witt (-81) commented in the semi-finals. They can still fight for bronze. Fransen had to lose him in the battle for last place against Clarice Agbigno, the world champion of the past three years. Last year, Fransen also lost to the French in the World Cup semi-finals in Tokyo. Then she won the bronze by defeating Saint Vermeer. Vermeer suffered a serious hamstring injury at the end of last year and is working as a reservist in Prague.
De Witt lost in the semi-finals to Epon to Bulgarian Ivaylo Ivanov. The Georgian Luka Misuradze will compete for the bronze medal. Fransen meets Andrea Liski from Slovenia.
European Championship rookie Jecky van den Berg, who, like Fransen, was competing in the 63 kg class, was eliminated in the second round. Van den Berg won the European title with U23 3 years ago.
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