MADRID, 8 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The judokas Marta Arce, Daniel Gavilán and Sergio Ibáñez inaugurated this Tuesday with a silver and two bronzes the harvest of medals for the Spanish delegation in the new Paralympic European Championships, which are being held in Rotterdam (Netherlands).
During the first day of official competition in this multi-sport event for people with disabilities, with the simultaneous celebration of ten European Championships, the first joy for the Spanish team came from Arce in the -57 kg J2 category.
Looking to fight for a medal, the Spanish defeated the German Ramona Brussig (1-0). She and then she beat the Croatian Jelena Breskovic by ippon, barely a minute after the start of the final match, thus winning the bronze.
Next, Gavilán was proclaimed runner-up in -60 kg J2 after an even fight against the Ukrainian Davyd Khorava. Both had shown a brilliant performance throughout the morning, and by the afternoon they were favorites for the podium. Gavilán, who tried in every way to beat his rival, fell after making a risky attack.
The third medal in the Rotterdam Ahoy pavilion came from Ibáñez in the -73 kg J2 category, after an exciting fight against the also Ukrainian Rufat Mahomedov. To reach that instance, the Spaniard had beaten the Georgian Giorgi Gamjashvili by ippon in the first round.
After losing by ippon to Azerbaijani Namig Abasli in the semifinals, Ibáñez faced Mahomedov, who started better on the mat. The Spaniard knew how to turn the fight around, equalizing on points and finally winning by disqualifying his rival due to a hansoku-make, having accumulated three penalties.