Telma Monteiro was the fifth of the six Portuguese judokas who have competed in the Doha World Cup to fall immediately in the first match, being defeated today by the Slovenian Kaja Kajzer, in the -57 kg category.
The 37-year-old judoka from Benfica, whose resume includes four world runner-ups (2014, 2010, 2009 and 2007) and a bronze medal (2005), was exempt from the first round, but her entry on the mat turned out to be brief
Before Kaja Kajzer (21st in the world), who had knocked out the Polish Julia Kowalczyk (26th), Telma Monteiro (11th) arrived halfway through the match, already after both suffered punishment, when she was surprised with an ippon from Kajzer . .
In the face of the judoka, the one who has climbed the most podiums in the World and European Championships, the disappointment was notorious, at a time when she has not had the superiority of yesteryear, but is still in the qualifying zone for Paris 2024 Olympic Games, which may be his sixth.
In Doha, Telma Monteiro was the fifth Portuguese judoka eliminated in the first match, after the European runner-up Catarina Costa (-48 kg), Maria Siderot and Joana Diogo (-52 kg) and Rodrigo Lopes (-60 kg).
The exception was the absolute newcomer Raquel Brito (-48 kg), judoka from Algés and Dafundo, who on the first day of competition, Sunday, played three matches at the ABHA Arena.
The Portuguese team will still have five more judokas in competition until Friday.
Bárbara Timo, who was the bronze medalist at the World Cup last year (-63 kg) and runner-up in 2019 (-70 kg), comes into action on Wednesday, the day she also competes with Anri Egutidze and João Fernando, both in -81 kilos
On Thursday it will be the turn of Joana Crisóstomo (-70 kg) and on Friday it will be Patrícia Sampaio’s turn to close the Portuguese participation.
In Doha, the team has two important casualties, Olympic Jorge Fonseca, two-time world champion (2019 and 2021) and Olympic bronze (2021), and Rochele Nunes, recovering from injuries.
Source: TSF
