Poland proud at first female Junior World Champion
Arleta Podolak is the amazing surprise of the day taking the world junior title for Poland. She is the successor of Rafal Kubacki in 1986, although incomparable. Today’s sensation from Poland built up her season well from a victory at a European Cup in Wroclaw, to bronze at the Europeans and gold at world level. Now the challenge is to build out her skills at senior level. Halima Mohamed-Seghir was the last Polish to climb to the podium taking silver in 2011. The 19-year old Podolak is an absolute sensation who won all her five fights despite severe opposition. In her first match Vivien Koteles (HUN) was put away with waza-ari, she beat Gabi Narvaez (ARG) and even European Champion Fabienne Kocher of Switzerland, making her the winer of her pool with Stangar, Centracchio and Andreea Florian who potentially all could become medallist.
In the semi final Podolak overcame European runner-up Daria Mezhetskaya (RUS), so she beat the European top.
Her opponent was Canadian Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard who won the silver. Earlier this year at the Cadet World Championships Canada opened with two world champions in Miami, but Podolak prevented a third world title and claimed the first ever female gold medal for her country in the juniors. Poland lost 6 world finals but the Warsaw sensation destroyed everyone today.
Bronze was reserved for Fabienne Kocher in these killing fields of judoka. The swiss lost surprisingly in the quarter final against Podolak but defeated Mezhetskaia (RUS) in the repechage and Anriquelis Barrios for bronze in a tough bout.
Christa Deguchi won bronze for Japan against Bekky Livesey who can be proud at an outstanding day and was close to Britains first medal.
za pomocą Sensational world titles for Europe in Ljubljana – European Judo Union.
Photographer: Mario Krvavac – www.eju.net
Arleta Podolak – Mistrzynią Świata Juniorów 2013 !
Zawodniczka Czarnych Bytom ;) – trener M.Błachnio ;) [wcześniej Z.Grochowski] w pięknym stylu zdobyła tytuł – warto było oglądać i wysłuchać naszego hymnu !
Karolina Pieńkowska – 5 miejsce – 52 kg [również tr. Z.Grochowski] ;)
Damian Stępień – 7 miejsce – 73 kg
GRATULACJE !!!
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