The Netherlands were at the scene in three out of four finals in the second day of the 14th World Junior Judo Championships, in Thailand, but Japan and Brazil took the lead of the medals table wining their second gold in the competition. Young Lukas Krpalek, on his turn, wrote his name in the history of judo with the first ever gold medal for the Czech Republic in the competition. Now, 15 (out of 83) nations have won medal in this World Junior Championships.
«It is a great feeling to have this medal around my neck. I have been working hard and now I will train more for next year», says 17year old Krpalek. «My goal is to be in Olympic Games in London 2012, but there is still a long way to go», adds the Czech, who repeated the European junior final (and the same result) with Dutch Marvin Huisman.
Although haven’t won any gold yet, the Dutch judoka took part in three final fights this Friday in Bangkog: Marvin Huisman (-100kg), Marvin de La Croes (-90kg) and Antoinette Hennink (-63kg). Georgian Varlam Liparteliani, 2008 European Junior Champion, got gold in the -90kg division, while Japanese Yuki Kikukawa was crowned in the under 63kg category.
Maybe the biggest surprise of the second day of competition at the Rajamangala Indoor Stadium was Brazilian Rafaela Silva, gold in the -57kg division. Born in the poor favela of Cidade de Deus (City of God) in Rio de Janeiro, she started judo in the age of five having Brazilian Olympic Medalist Flavio Canto (-81kg, Athens 2004) as coach. Canto runs a project for teaching judo in the favelas from Rio called ONG Instituto Reação (Reaction Institute).
«Judo completely changed my life. When I was younger, I spent most of my day on the streets messing around. Now I am a real athlete», says the 16-year old, who seems to have learnt one of Cantos biggest «secrets»: the newaza techniques. «He really teaches me a lot of what he knows. And I love it», says Rafaela, who beat Japanese Makiko Otomo with an impressive armlock.
Results:
-100kg:
1. Lukas Krpalek (CZE)
2. Marvin Huisman (NED)
3. Anton Martsulevich (BLR)
3. Temuulen Battulga (MGL)
5. Katsuoki Terashima (JPN)
5. Ibrakhim Khamkhoev (RUS)
-90kg:
1. Varlam Liparteliani (GEO)
2. Marvin de La Croes (HOL)
3. Marcus Nyman (SWE)
3. Luke Taylor (GBR)
5. Tomasz Domanski (POL)
5. Kyu-Won Lee (KOR)
-63kg:
1. Yuki Kikukawa (JPN)
2. Antoinette Hennink (NED)
3. Eszter Gaspar (HUN)
3. Camila Minakawa (BRA)
5. Tinatin Kulusashvili (GEO)
5. Da-Woon Joung (KOR)
-57kg:
1. Rafaela Silva (BRA)
2. Automne Pavia (FRA)
3. Gemma Howell (GBR)
3. Tina Trstenjak (SLO)
5. Nesria Jelassi (TUN)
5. Liudmyla Marchenko (UKR)