New generation knocks on the door in Samsun

Many athletes are going to fight their first World Tour final today, for some it's normal to act at such level. For many athletes who are used to the final stages didn't manage to qualify this time. The new generation in banging on the door in Samsun. For the first time in his career Damian Szwarnowiecki will be in a final of a World Tour event. The former double U23 European Champion defeated Hasan Vanlioglu of Turkey in the semi final U73kg and will now face North Korean Kim Chol-Gwang who last week impressed with excellent scores. Today he defeated Frenchman Guillaume Chain in the semi. Both never fought eachother.

In the category U81kg 45 athletes fought to get to the final stages in Samsun with two good Koreans in their mutual fight. Both Kim Jae-Bum and Wang Ki-Chun reached the semi final. It was Double World Champion U73kg Wang Ki-Chun who defeated his compatriot, also double World Champion and current Olympic champion. Quite a surprise and defeat for Kim Jae-Bum. Wang is opposed to Bulgarian Ivaylo Ivanov who defeated Joachim Bottieau in the semi final. Wang will remember that Ivanov defeated him in Paris this year in the semi final, so it can be a nice rematch, but now in the final. Bottieau fights Dutchman Frank de Wit for bronze. Kim must stay in line with Wang by defeating Sergiu Toma (VAE).

In the women’s division U63kg Mariana Silva is having her best day. In this rather weak category for the Brazilians, now it’s Silva who stood up and said: “I want to go to the Olympic Games”. She fought her way into the final via two Austrians: Kathrin Unterwurzacher and in the semi final Hilde Drexler. Silva’s opponent is French Margaux Pinot, also a surprise in her new category as she stepped back from U70kg. Pinot, who was last year’s bronze winner at the Grand Slam in Paris U70kg, switched recently and won her pool and defeated Swedish Mia Hermansson in the semi final. It can be the first time since 2013 that a Brazilian wins a World Tour event U63kg. 

Another French, Marie-Eve Gahie will have to face the likely Olympic qualifier Fanny Estelle Posvite in the final 70kg. Gahie overcame Sally Conway as first seeded athlete in this class and won her pool. In the semi final she beat 19-year old Colombian Elvismar Rodriguez. Posvite defeated another surprising Pan American athlete: Maria Perez of Puerto Rico. Both French know eachother well but never fought eachother abroad.