Paris 2024. Angelika Szymanska is aiming for a medal in the 63 kg judo category

Polish judoka has been waiting for an Olympic medal for 28 years. During the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Paweł Nastula (gold) and Aneta Szczepańska (silver) stood on the podium. The latter is now Szymanska’s club coach.

The 24-year-old from Włocławek was the runner-up at this year’s World Championships in Abu Dhabi. Only Dutchwoman Joanne van Lieshout was better than her in the capital of the United Arab Emirates. The Polish judo team waited 24 years for its representative to appear in the final of the World Championships (in 1999 it was Beata Maksimov).

Szymanska won bronze at the 2023 European Championships.

The Polish woman (ranked 4th)’s first opponent in Paris was the talented Italian player Savito Russo, ranked 39th. Szymanska was more active from the beginning. The passive Russo was quickly punished with shido, and then Angelika showed her waza-ri. She maintained a 1-0 lead until the end.

In the second round, the Włocławek resident met the Mexican player Prisca Alcaraz Aviti, who quickly defeated the Afghan-born Nigara Shaneen (10:0) who represented the refugee team in the first match.

The Mexicans started well and in the first minute they were 1-0 ahead, with Vazzari already in the lead. Szymanska was also quickly punished by shido. Until the end, the Pole tried to make up for the loss, but in the end only earned a shido for the opponent. Prisca Alcaraz Aviti left the tatami and became the winner.

Tuesday’s Women’s 63kg competition schedule:

12.20 – 1/8 finals
13.16 – Quarterfinals
16.34 – Resurrection
16.51 – Semi-finals
17.18 – Bronze
final

Eurosport broadcasts every minute of the Paris Olympics live and on demand on the Max platform.