Telma Monteiro was the fifth of six Portuguese judokas to take part in the World Cup in Doha and fell straight away in the first match when she was beaten by Slovenian Kaja Kajzer in the -57 kg category on Tuesday.
The 37-year-old Benfica judoka, whose resume includes four world champion medals (2014, 2010, 2009 and 2007) and a bronze medal (2005), was exempt from the first round, but her participation in the tatami proved to be brief.
Against Kaja Kajzer (21st in the world), who had knocked out the Polish Julia Kowalczyk (26th), Telma Monteiro (11th) came by surprise with an ippon from Kajzer halfway through the match, already after both had suffered a penalty.
On the face of the judoka, the one who most often climbed to podiums at World and European Championships, the disappointment was notorious, at a time when she did not have the preeminence of yesteryear, but is still in the qualifying zone for Paris 2024 Olympic Play, which may be their sixth.
In Doha, Telma Monteiro was the fifth Portuguese judoka to be eliminated in her first match, after European runner-up Catarina Costa (-48 kg), Maria Siderot and Joana Diogo (-52 kg) and Rodrigo Lopes (-60 kg).
The exception was absolute newcomer Raquel Brito (-48 kg), judoka from Algés and Dafundo, who fought three fights in the ABHA Arena on Sunday on the first day of competition.
The Portuguese team has five judokas in competition until Friday.
Bárbara Timo, last year’s bronze medalist at the World Cup (-63 kg) and second in 2019 (-70 kg), comes into action on Wednesday, the same day as Anri Egutidze and João Fernando, both at -81 kg.
On Thursday it is the turn of Joana Crisóstomo (-70 kg) and on Friday it is up to Patrícia Sampaio to close the Portuguese participation.
In Doha, the team has two major casualties, the Olympic Games Jorge Fonseca, two-time world champion (2019 and 2021) and Olympic bronze (2021), and Rochele Nunes, recovering from injuries.
Source: DN
