(Belgium) Mina Lieber won the bronze medal in the under 57km category at the European Judo Championships on Saturday in Coimbra, Portugal.
Lieber, 12th in the world, lost to Ippon in her final tie against Chinese Kan Chi (IJF 46) and was sent to fall behind. In her first home match, she won Ippon against China’s Qianxi Lin (IJF 136) before Ippon defeated Portugal’s Ana Agulhas (IJF 173) in the fight for the bronze medal. In the -48kg category, world number 38 Elaine Salines qualified for the semi-finals by defeating Spain’s Eva Perez Soler (IGF103) of EPON. In order to secure a place in the final, Salines lost to Ippon to China’s Zhongjing Ju (IJF 47) before suffering another defeat, also on Ippon to Portugal’s Catarina Costa (IJF 4) in the fight for the bronze medal. In the men’s under 60kg category, unseeded Olivier Naert was sent to second place after losing at Ippon to unseeded Portuguese Emerson Silva. Then 19-year-old Nairt defeated unseeded Portuguese Ricardo Perez over Ebon in his first fight before losing to Ebon in the bronze medal fight against Ukraine’s Kirill Samutog (IGF 216) (Belga)
