Olympic judo

Judo: Opening victories for Piovesana and Borchashvili

Lubjana Piovesana(Bild: GEPA)

Bitter, bitter - despite a strong performance, Lubjana Piovesana missed out on a place in the semi-finals of the Olympic judo tournament in the 63 kg category!

The Vorarlberg native, who had previously prevailed against Esmigul Kujulowa from Kazakhstan with Waza-ari and against the Brit Lucy Renshall with Ippon in the Golden Score, lost to Prisca Awiti Alcaraz, competing for Mexico - like Piovesana a native Brit - in overtime after Golden Score ...

Lubjana Piovesana(Bild: AFP/APA/Jack GUEZ)

Always seemed to have the fight under control
Piovesana always seemed to have the fight under control and Alcaraz could not find any means against the Austrian, who was not exactly at a disadvantage due to her smaller height.

After a waza-ari score, she briefly had one foot in the semi-finals, but the judges overturned the decision and the fight went into extra time, which ended bitterly for Piovesana.

"A bit angry that my score didn't count!"
After all, Piovesana still has a chance of winning a medal, and she can still set course for bronze in the hope round with a victory against Jisu Kim from South Korea ...

 In the ORF interview after the defeat, Piovesana was composed, but also "a little angry that my score didn't count". She was satisfied with her performance and hopes that she can beat Jisu Kim later in the afternoon in the hope round ...

"She was one of the reasons why I left the British team!"
Incidentally, it was the "British national championships" today, said Piovesana when asked about her opponents. She is friends with one of them, Awiti Alcaraz, and the opposite with the other, Renshall.

"I haven't beaten her for years and she was one of the reasons why I left the British team. Mentally, it was tough and a weird competition."

Piovesana left the national training center in Great Britain because of bullying, Awiti Alcaraz did so because she was not nominated for events, as the ÖOC athlete said.