Telma Monteiro wins bronze in Tel Aviv

Telma Monteiro won, this Thursday, the bronze in the European Judo Championships which take place until Saturday, in Tel Aviv, Israel. The Benfica judoka has won 12 medals in the 12 presences in European Championships.

In the category -57 kg, the five-time European champion and 12th in the world ranking lost the third combat of the group stage, against the Kosovan Nora Gjakova – 5th of the world –, in the golden point, at 3.17 minutes.

After being defeated by Gjakova, the judoka of Benfica beat the Israeli Maayan Greenberg (63rd of the world ranking) and the Croatian Tena Sikic (203rd), both by ippon.

In the bronze access zone, Telma Monteiro faced the Hungarian Hedvig Karakas – 14th of the world and 7th placed in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, with whom she had already fought seven times – finishing the combat with another victory by ippon.

In the head to head with the French Sarah Leonie Cysique, another by ippon, which handed the judoka of Benfica the 12th medal of her career in European Championships in the same number of presences (5 gold medals, 1 silver medal and now 6 bronze medal).

Text: Filipa Fernandes Garcia

Pics: European Judo Union