Montreal, August 5, 2015 – Virginia Nemeth won her first bout on Wednesday, but lost her second match in the Under 44 kg division at the World Cadet Judo Championships in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Lethbridge athlete, ranked 14^th in the world in the Under 48 kg, scored a waza-ari to beat Spain’s Rocio Garcia Torres, 16^th in the world in the Under 44 kg.

But elimination for the Albertan came in the form of an ippon from Russia’s Iuliia Ogarkova, European vice-champion and fifth in the world in the category.

“Virginia did really well in her first match,” said national coach Jean-Pierre Cantin. “Her strategy was excellent. In her second bout, she was doing okay until she changed her grab on the judogi to go for the back, and then the Russian athlete’s experience made all the difference. It was a good day for Virginia, especially considering she’s so young and doesn’t have much international experience.”

The Russian judoka would go on to the semi-final, but lose her last two fights and eventually rank fifth.

Ukrainian Daria Bilodid, who beat Ogarkova in the last European Championships, was awarded the gold on Wednesday after defeating Italian Sofia Petitto in the final match. Japanese Riko Igarashi and Brazilian Jessica Silva walked away with a bronze medal each.

On Thursday, five Canadian judokas will be on the tatami: Yumi Amal Bellali (Under 52 kg), from Pointe-Claire, Quebec, Marie Besson (Under 48 kg), from Dolbeau-Mistassini, Quebec, Brette Poliakiwski (Under 52 kg), from Vermilion, Alberta, Ossama Mahmoud (Under 60 kg), from Kitchener, Ontario, and Jacob Valois (Under 66 kg), from Boucherville, Quebec.

-30-

Written by Sportcom for Judo Canada