Telma Monteiro lost in his World Cup debut in Doha

Telma Monteiro was the fifth of six Portuguese judokas competing at the World Championships in Doha, who fell immediately in the first bout when she lost to Slovenia’s Kaja Kaiser today in the 57 kg category.

The 37-year-old Benfica judoka, who has four world runners-up medals (2014, 2010, 2009 and 2007) and a bronze medal (2005) on her record, missed out on the first round, but her run on the tatami was a success. be short.

Against Kaia Kaiser (World No. 21), who knocked out Poland’s Yuliya Kowalczyk (26th), Telma Monteiro (No. 11) arrived in the middle of the match, after both had been penalized when Kaiser surprised her with an ippon. .

The judoka who has topped the world and European championship podiums most often had a notorious disappointment on her face at a time when she doesn’t have last year’s dominance but is still in the Paris 2024 qualifying zone. Olympic Games, which could be their sixth.

In Doha, Telma Monteiro became the fifth Portuguese judoka to be eliminated in her first match, after European runner-up Catarina Costa (-48kg), Maria Siderot and Joana Diogo (-52kg) and Rodrigo López (-60kg).

The exception was the absolute beginner Raquel Brito (-48 kg), a judoka from Alges and Dafundo, who on the first day of the competition, on Sunday, had three fights at the ABHA Arena.

Until Friday, the Portuguese team will have five more judokas.

Barbara Timo, who was the world bronze medalist last year (up to 63 kg) and placed second in 2019 (up to 70 kg), will take action on Wednesday, a day when Anri Egutidze and Joao Fernando are also competing, both in – 81 kg.

On Thursday it will be the turn of Joana Crisostomo (-70 kg), and on Friday Patricia Sampaio will close the Portuguese.

In Doha, the team has two important losses: Olympic champion Jorge Fonseca, two-time world champion (2019 and 2021) and Olympic bronze (2021), and Rochelle Nunez, recovering from injuries.

rpm // AJO

Lusa/The End