After the wonderful achievements of the Israeli team at the European Judo Championships on Friday, the second day of the competition began today (Saturday), when six more Israelis are expected to board the mat in Sofia who also dream of returning to Israel with a medal. Sagi Muki struggled against his Czech opponent but eventually managed to advance to a stage in the up to 81 kg category. Gili Sharir (up to 63 kg) advanced to the quarterfinals after two victories. Victory also for the purity of Botbol. Maya Goshen (up to 70 kg) was eliminated in the first round. Kerem Primo (up to 63 kg) also finished her way in the first round.
Last night, Israel opened the championship in a wonderful way with a gold medal by Timna Nelson Levy (Israel’s first female champion since Yael Arad in 1993) and a bronze medal by Shira Rashoni.
Men
Up to 73 kg
Purity Botbol automatically advanced to the second round in which he defeated Serbian Philippe Juvanovic in the Vazari 12 seconds to go. The 28-year-old Botbol won the silver medal at the previous European Championships. Whoever defeated him in last year’s final, Akil Jakuba Kosovar, may meet him in the quarterfinals.
23-year-old Ido Levin was eliminated in the second round against Frenchman Benjamin Axus.
Up to 81 kg
Sagi Muki, the 2015 and 2018 European champion, is trying to get closer to the record of Arik Zeevi who has won the continental gold four times. Muki was dragged to the gold score in the second round against Czech Jan Svoboda, but eventually won and advanced one step. The 2019 world champion lost in the bronze medal fights this year at the Tel Aviv Grand Slam and also at the Paris Grand Slam, and in both cases it was against the Belgian Sami Shoshi who is also in the competition.
women
Up to 63 kg
Gili Sharir defeated local Joanna Manova in the first round and then also defeated Polish Najalika Zimanska, who were charged three offenses and advanced to the quarterfinals. The 22-year-old muscle has also won medals at a young age in the continental championship (silver in junior and bronze in the championship up to the age of 23) and will try to register an achievement in Bulgaria.
Kerem Primo, who just celebrated her 17th birthday earlier this month, was a two-time European Junior Champion and was eliminated in her first appearance at the European Senior Championships after a loss to Laura Pazlio from Kosovo.
Up to 70 kg
Maya Goshen, who in 2020 won the silver medal at the European Under-23 Championships, was eliminated in the first round after being captured on iPhone by Turkey Minel Academies.