SHOP
Congratulations to Carla Van Zyl (Hart Judo Academy) for earning the bronze medal at the Junior European Cup in Portimão, Portugal on Sunday, March 9, 2025.
In her bronze medal match against Clarisse Carillon of France, Hart Judo Academy’s Van Zyl came from behind to secure the win, scoring two waza-ari in the final minute to pull ahead of her opponent, who had scored a waza-ari and a yuko earlier in the bout.
“What a match! I was chewing my fingernails on the sidelines. Carla really learned a lot today. Her bout was really exciting. Although she was trailing, she never gave up. She took back the lead and won in the final seconds. I’m extremely happy with her win,” said Canadian coach Sasha Mehmedovic.
Earlier in the day, Van Zyl had defeated Italians Nina Gambardella and Martina Capezzuto, before bowing out to Italy’s Michela Terranova in a semi-final match that went into overtime.
Congratulations Carla!
