Brits miss out to seeded fighters at European Championships

The European Championships in Zagreb, Croatia drew to a close today with the British judoka being on the end of an unfavourable draw with the majority of the team bowing out the competition to seeded judoka.

On the opening day, there were opening-round defeats in the -66kg category for Sam Hall and Charlie Young.

Hall was defeated in the opening round by 5th seed and eventual bronze medallist Elois Manzi (ITA) by a single waza-ari score.

Young was also defeated by a single waza-ari score by 6th seed Baruch Shmailov (ISR).

Lele Nairne had an opening round bye before defeat in the 9th minute of her round two contest by eventual 7th place finisher Telma Monteiro (POR) by a waza-ari score.

Kelly Petersen-Pollard overcame Mariam Tchanturia (GEO) in the opening round, before suffering defeat to number one seed and eventual champion, Barbara Matic.

Also competing in the -70kg category was Mima Yeats-Brown. Yeats-Brown faced 3rd seed Miriam Butkereit in her opening round contest, but a 3rd shido in the opening exchanges of Golden Score saw the Brit eliminated in the first round.

 In the -81kg category Lachlan Moorhead had an opening round bye before a Golden Score defeat to 8thseed Attila Ungvari (HUN).

Emma Reid overcame Petrunjela Pavic (CRO) in the opening round before defeat, in Golden Score, to eventual bronze medallist and 4th seed, Alina Boehm (GER) in round two.

Jamal Petgrave had an opening round bye before defeat to 3rd seed Murad Fatiyev (AZE) in round two.

Rhys Thompson was defeated by 6th seed Aleksandar Kukolj (SRB) in the opening round whilst debutant Oliver Barratt took his opponent, 5th seed Arman Adamian (AIN) to Golden Score, before a waza-ari score saw him exit the competition.

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