Closing in to a very special event in Georgia, with the Covid19 still as a strong factor. No doubt that the the pandemic have an impact at the tournament, but everything is set to go off as planned. The difference between how the nations have been able to prepare are huge. Some nation has not been allowed to train and do sparring, others close to normal. Anyway, we dive into the categories to take a look into the line up..
Women – 50 kg 8 fighters
Maria Adria / Spain. Brigita Svinkūnaitė and Viktorija Dambrauskaitė / Lithuania, Monika Podora and Natalia Chrzanowska / Poland. Alona Veresniak and Mariia Lozben / Ukraine. Salome Modebadze / Georgia
In this, the lightest weight class for women, we do only have four nations and seven fighters represented. Last time, in Lithuania 2019, we had (of course) a little more representations. The line-up have few changes since last EC, but Lithuanian fighters are out, the champion from 2019, Erika Žeburtovič and third placeholder Raminta Makackaitė.
2018 champion, and the runner up in 2019 – Alona Veresniak / Ukraine, would be the favourite, captured the 1st place in EFKO EC last year as well. Been one of the top fighters in the lighter weight-class for many ears now, besides the EC results, Veresniak got several wins in other major tournaments.
The second third placeholder from 2019, Maria Adria / Spain, showed good fighting in 2019, beating Ivona Koreckaja / Lithuania in the first fight, so Hungarian fighter Miriam Karczub. These two victories was fro many a little surprising, since Hungary and Lithuania often are ranked higher automatically. Well, every fights must be fought, and the high level of Maria Adria are proven.
The two Lithuanian fighters: Viktorija Dambrauskaitė and Brigita Svinkūnaitė – reign European Champion U-18 category from Prague in 2019. These two do not have some many seniors results to show – but we have to remember that in Svinkūnaitė case, she just turned senior, and due to the pandemic there haven not been any possibilities to enter international championships. We all know the level of Lithuanian fighters, so we count them in!
Poland got two fighters in this category. One of them, Monika Podora, may some of you remember. Quite right, she made it into the the top 3 back in 2017, European Championship in Denmark. In that case, it was a w.o. in the 1st round, so one win – before losing to the champion that day Daiva Kriščiūniene / Lithuania. So, only one win one might think, but we remember that this win came versus Spanish fighter Eider Cardenosa. Cardenosa holding a very acceptable level (EC podium in 2016, now moved to -55 kg. Besides this EC third place, Podora together with teammate Natalia Chrzanowska (2nd EC U21, 2019) will be fighters who can advance in the category – against whom is the question.
