World champion last November, France’sSteven Da Costa isagain in the final of the Paris Open (January25-27) a yearafterwinningitfor the first time. Like the Frenchman, many world champions and top fighters have qualified for the finals on Sunday :Aghayev, Ozcelik, Crescenzo...
By Florian Fournier in Paris
Photos / KPhotos
-60kg: Crescenzokeepsgoing on
World champion in Madrid last November, Italy’sAngelo Crescenzoqualified for the final by dominating in the semifinalRussia’sEvgenyPlakhutin 4-3. Sunday, hewill face Majid Hassaniaideilami. The Iranianwhoqualified by beatingKazakhstan’s Darkhan Assadilov and France’s Sofiane Agoudjilis a neophyte at this stage of the competition. As Saymatov, Samdan and Sagoearlylost, the road was open for an outsider.
Final:Crescenzo (Ita) vs Hassaniaideilami (Ira)
Bronze:Albasher (Ksa) vs Assadilov (Kaz) and Plakhutin (Rus) vs Martinez (Ven)
-67kg : Steven Da Costa in on his road
Winner last year in Paris and reigning world champion,France’s Steven Da Costa isagain in the final of the Parisianedition. He scored 8 points, hisopponents 0 in the qualifying rounds ! In the final, hewillmeetItaly’sMaresca.
Final : Steven Da Costa (Fra) vs Lucas Maresca (Ita)
Bronze : Zakaria (Mar) vs Amirali (Kaz) et Muratov(Kaz) vs D’Onofrio (Ita)
-75kg : AghayevvsNishimura once again
Last year's final willbe remake in 2019. Winner at the last second in 2018, Ken Nishimura has the opportunity to retainhistitlethisyear. By beatingThomas Scott in the quarterfinal (3-1) and thenStanislav Horuna (3-0) in the semifinals, the Japanesefighter willfighthisgreatopponent Rafael Aghayevin the final on Sunday. Woundedat the headduringhis first fight (3 stitches on the chin), the Azerbaijanifought the rest of the competitionwith a bandage aroundhishead. Sunday, the five-time world champion, winner of Iran’sAsiabari in the semifinals(who beat Busa) willwant to takehisrevenge.
Final :Aghayev (Aze) vs Nishimura (Jap)
Bronze : Horuna (Ukr) vs Scott (Usa) et Asiabari(Ira) vs Sakiama (Jap)
-50kg : OzcelikandMiyahara, twomonthslater
World champion in Madrid, winner of the Paris Open last year, MiyaharawilldefendhertitleOn Sunday. Alexandra Recchiainjured,shewillbeopposed to the thirdside of the infernal triangle, Turkey’sSerapOzcelik. Defeated in Madrid twomonthsago in the final of the Worlds, the Turkish champion has the opportunity to reverse the trend on Sunday by winningthisfight.
Final :Miyahara (Jap) vs Ozcelik (Tur)
Bronze : Perfetto (Ita) vs Da Paula (Bra) et Hubrich(Ger) vs Salama (Egy)
-55kg : Terliuga / Banaszczyk, the dreamt final
This year, the Paris Open will have a duel betweenthe European champion, Ukraine’sAnzhelikaTerliuga, and the World champion, Poland’s Dorota Banaszczyk in the final. Revelation of the World championships, the youngPolish (21) isnow a confirmation. Victoriousof Lorena Busain the semi-finals (5-0), Dorota Banaszczykbelongsnow to the greats. For her part, AnzhelikaTerliuga, the World n°1, once again assumes herrank and demonstratesthatherdefeat in the first round in Madrid was an accident.
Final :Terliuga (Ukr) vs Banaszczyk (Pol)
Bronze : Busa (Ita) vs Ouhammad (Mar) et Nakamura (Jap) vs Ishiai (Jap)
FemaleKata : Shimizu and Sanchez, the story keepsgoing on
They do not leaveeachotheranymore. Japan'sKiyouShimizu and Spain's Sandra Jaime Sanchez willmeetagain in the final. After the victory of the Spanish at the World championships, Shimizu will have to resumeher leadership on Sunday. Following the new scoring system, itis a 25.82 whichsendsthe Japanesein the final. The Spanishqualifiedwitha 25,26.
Final : Sanchez (Spa) vs Shimizu (Jap)
Bronze : Ono (Jap) vs Kokumai (Usa) / Bottaro (Ita) vs Lau (Hk)
