Verschaere is the right-hand judoka in the front row in a blue kimono — © BELGA
Vicky Verschaere won silver in the 78 kilogram class at the European Open judo in the Polish capital Warsaw on Sunday.
Our 23-year-old compatriot defeated the 21-year-old Frenchwoman Lyse Versmisse in the final after just twenty seconds. For Verschaere this was the best result ever in her career. There was already a bronze medal last year, at the European Cup in Sarajevo.
In the first round in Warsaw, Verschaere passed the Polish Emilia Gonsior by ippon. Another Polish player was killed in the quarter-finals. This time Anna Dyba, with two wara-ari in less than a minute. In the semi-finals she beat the Hungarian Szilvia Farkas by ippon.
Karel Foubert won the golden score in the second round of the men’s 90 kilogram class with a waza-ari against the Italian Tiziano Falcone. Maxine Heyns lost in the -70kg to the French Gabrielle Barbaud (IJF 208).