Judoka Gemma Howell bags Paris bronze to boost Olympic hopes
Gemma Howell (-70kg) claimed bronze and more vital Olympic qualification points at the Paris Grand Slam.
Telford judoka Howell, competing in Paris for the first time since 2011, defeated the 2017 European Youth Olympic Festival bronze medallist Lea Adam-Sendra (Andorra) in the opening round.
She then defeated Ayuk-Otay Arrey-Sophina (Cameroon) in round two, both victories coming by Howell’s preferred Ne-waza.
In round three Howell faced former World Championship silver medallist Maria Perez (Puerto Rico) and again used her trusted groundwork to book her place in the quarter-final against home favourite and World Champion Marie-Eve Gahie.
Howell left nothing on the mat in her quarter-final match against the current world No.1 but a single score was enough to see the French player into the semi-finals, meaning Howell went into to the Repechage where she faced Elisavet Teltsidou (Greece).
In the Repechage Teltsidou amassed three shidos, meaning Howell progressed to the bronze medal match to face current World Championship silver medallist Barbara Timo (Portugal).
Both athletes cancelled each other out throughout and, with nothing between the two, the match entered golden score.
Timo amassed three penalty shidos, handing victory and the bronze medal to Howell.
Shrewsbury-born Sarah Adlington (+78kg) was defeated by the 2019 European Junior Champion Lea Fontaine (France) in the second round after an opening-round bye.
