Almost clean sweep for Sweden at home soil in Swedish Open 2014!
The 5th edition of Swedish Open was held in Goteborg 20th September 2014. Poland, Lithuania, Tunisia, Iran, Pakistan, Denmark, Norway and Sweden participated.
←Rasmus Bergström and Jonas Rosin.
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The 5th edition of Swedish Open was held in Goteborg 20th September 2014. Poland, Lithuania, Tunisia, Iran, Pakistan, Denmark, Norway and Sweden participated. In 2012 the Nederland’s, Hungary, Great Britain, France, Switzerland and Spain also participated in Swedish Open, so many nations was missing this time. But nations as Norway and Sweden brought several more fighters this year than last time.
The Swedish Open team with Sensei Virpi in the lead is whit out a doubt making the tournament highly professional. For a fighter, coach or spectator this tournament will give you the adventure that you seek.
In this report pictures from (names belov) have been used. Use the link and visit their albums fro Swedish Open 2014
The tournament this year had three levels of skills among the competitors. And after 1st round it was clear that (some) newcomers and less experienced were taken out quickly. This made the first round in every category filled with some spectacular knockouts. In the men division the three category system was used, and that means 80kg would be the bottom limit for weight in the heavyweight division. This again includes some fights with weight different over 30 kg and more, and this will provide some tactics on the tatami.
In the second round of each category, the nest level appeared. The gap between the firs level and the next was about the same, and the second round of the tournament was as exciting as the first! –but on in a higher level!
The lightweight men category was filled with exciting fighters this year, and even with some sickness called in, this was an action packed category. One of the favorites Swedish ←Stefan Chervenkov made his way through first round with a safe win over Norwegian newcomer Bård E Kvamme, who made å positive impression as a newcomer. Nest fight For Chervenkov was against Lithuanian Tautvydas Šniaukas. This fight was showing fighting on a high level, but unfortunately suffered Chervenkov himself eligible warning and thus was the winner of last year’s Danish Open out of the tournament. But it should be said that the warnings did not come by unclean fighting, unfortunate is the word here – but it was properly judged.
Milad Ziyafatalla Samizade from Sweden was in his first senior tournament, but as reign European Champion for Juniors his skills where well known. Polish fighter Stanislaw Sicinski, got a taste of European Jr class fighting when he early in the fight was put down with a great liver punch after an even greater setup. Milad advanced and met Tautvydas Šniaukas in their second fight. Both full of energy and a fight with many air-filled techniques, but some good old low kick always seems to work! Milad made his way to the final with tis win.
Jevgenij Jurut from Lithuania made a great k.o. doing a “double tap” perfect. The receiver of this perfect kick was an up and coming Swedish fighter, Erik Hägge. Jurut met then his country man Jonas Eimontas who on his side had advanced through spirited Erik Magnusson from Sweden. Jurut vs Eimontas was a hard fight until Jurut had to throw in the towel during a leg injury.←The final Milad vs Eimontas was a fight with high pressure from Milad and a more calm styled Eimontas. This pattern went through the final, and the winner was Swedish, Milad Ziyafatalla Samizade. A really strong performance being the fact that this was his first senior tournament.
Middleweight men, lost one of the favorites to sickness, Vytautas Cepla. But the middleweight had more than one fighter to watch! Swedish Simon Erikson made the middleweight first k.o. aginst Danish Morten Kegel. Kegel on his side had a very good start with several god lowkicks, before Erikson executed a perfectly timed “death- roll” Erikson was forced to leave the tournament after this fight, and second round fight against Polish ←Patryk Kostrzewa did never happen, walk over for the polish fighter. This ended in the top four for Kostrzewa, and a new Swedish fighter was ready, ←Jonas Rosin. He made his way through Noy Mnatsakanyan from Poland, and after strong hard fight Rosin advanced with Kostrzewa on his record.
Rosin was then ready for the final, and another Swede had made his way to the final – Rasmus Bergström.↓Bergström had knocked out Lithuanian Herkus Matiukas with a back kick, before he met Polish Michal Kolakowski who became a number to small against a very aggressive Bergström.
His third fight was against Danish fighter ←Julian Daugbjerg Bjerrekær. The Dane made a very good impression in his first fight, beating a good Daniel Karlsson with a great Waza-ari scoring with an Ushiro mawashi geri. Bergström vs Bjerrekær was an incredible hard fight with all that a fight should have. Bjerrekær almost pulled of the fight damaging the leg of Bergström, but the Swede manage the turn it around a polled out a victory in the end.
In the final Rosin tamed Bergström and manage to attack the same leg that he had damage from before, this was too much from Bergström and Rosin made his Swedish Open victory showing class and Budo attitude all the way.
In the heavyweight the first round was quickly done. Difference of skills and weight made the first round go whit out surprises. The next round this was even out a little, but there was a difference also here. Home fighter ←Simon Pålsson was a number too strong for the Norwegian fighter ←Ivan Tobiassen. But Tobiassen showed good style fighting and picked his shoots well. But the Swede turned up the pace and drove his opponent around with heavy knees, and Tobiassen could not answer to this. Pålsson advanced and met Lithuanian Edgard Secinski. Secinski has god experience, and he has been placed on the European Championship podium twice. He also represented Lithuania in the 5th World Cup 2013. Secinski advanced through Kristoffer Denmark fast, with a punch to the liver.Pålsson went the same way, but after a long hard struggle with the Lithuanian favorite.
On the other side of the draw, Polish light heavyweight Marek Wolny. Wolny and Secinski usually fight in the light heavy weight category, under 90 kg. The Polish fighter burst through Norwegian Atle Lommeland, and downed him with a knee to the body, Next fight Wolny vs Brian Jakobsen Denmark. This was a highly awaited fight between two good fighters. Jakobsen on his side had tactically outmaneuvered Eivind Nærland, Norway in his first fight. But unfortunately Jakobsen missed with one of his strikes and short story both fighters could not move on in the tournament. Jokobsen very unlucky, but the doctor would not let Wolny continue, and Jackobsen – shikkaku.
This incident had consequences as Wolny did not get allowed to go on. Winner of Swedish Open 2014:Edgard Seicinski Lithuania.
Women light weight was a good category, dominated by Swedish fighters. ←Cecilia Wallin made her way through the field, but not without hard work. Danish Open Champion← Ea Eriksen, Denmark gave Wallin a close fight who took the crowd to the edge of their seats. Wallin advances in a very close race, Eriksen nothing to be shamed about. Wallin`s next fight, against Martyna Mazur Poland. Mazur beating spirited Nesrine Araar from Tunisia, and Josefine Lindgren Knutsson Sweden in her second fight. Mazur could not hold the pace of Wallin and Wallin with victory, ready for final!
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←Johanna Rapp Sweden and ←Rebecca Drage , Gävle / Sweden had their match equal as Wallin/ Eriksen. This was a – if possible even closer fight, and the two fighters gave all that they had. The pace was high and the stamina for both must have been excellent! In the end Johnna Rapp pulled out the victory, in a hard fight. Johanna Rapp next challenge was technical Marta Lubos from Poland. Lubos had victory over newcomer Sarah Edsberger from Sweden. Edsberger in her debut also captured a win over Norwegian champion Beate Hegerland. Marta Lubos being one of the better lightweight fighters in Europe at the time wins against Rapp, and meets Cacilia Wallin in the final. Also this became a hard close fight, but Wallin became the Swedish Open Champion 2014! Lubos got Shihan Attila Meszaros special price and Wallin best fighter price women.
Women Heavyweight was slimmed down since the Lithuanian fighters called in sick. But the remained fighters had not in their mind let each other easy off. Home fighter and one of the favorite ←Sara Hägge took on Norwegian Marleen Gregusson after a long day. Gregusson was working close with heavy punches under. Sara Hägge was on her side working on longer distance and more movement. Gregusson aggressive to close the gap Hägge created. The fight is close, but in the end Hägges experience makes her change the pace and takes the fight 3-2.
Hägge meets Danish ↑Christine Buchholtz in the final. The Danish fighter with a fresh EC 3rd place in Baku, and Hägge with a second place an best fighter in West European Championship. Christine Buchholtz made her way to the final, beating newcomer Victoria Skorupskyte from Sweden. Skorupskyte is making a god first impression and shows aggressive fighting. Buchholtz vs Hägge becomes a thriller and goes on through the extensions before the decision had to come. 2 red flags 2 white flags… Main judge 3-2 Sara Hägge! We have to say that this fight was so close that it was so to say impossible to call out the winner!
Swedish Open is one of the most complete tournaments there is. The organizing are very good and hospitality like so. The Swedish Organization is also showing their hard work, entering the tournament with many top fighters and newcomers to keep it up.
Swedish Open 2016 – you have to be there!