Lara Cvjetko Turns the Final Around for Another Qingdao Gold

Lara Cvjetko was the standout name in the -70 kg division in Qingdao, where the Croatian judoka battled through a shifting draw to take gold. In a category with no clear early leader, she found the answer when the pressure was highest and left with another Grand Prix title.

The day never settled into a simple pattern. Strong names moved deep into the bracket, but no one fully controlled the contest area through the morning. That made every later-round match feel more open, and every mistake more costly.

In the top half, Aleksandra Andric of Serbia put together a notable run. After ending Kaillany Cardoso's campaign, she also stopped top seed Aoife Coughlan to reach the semi-finals. Her progress was then halted by Tamara Lishchenko, who had quietly built momentum with wins over Dena Pohl of Germany and Ida Eriksson of Sweden.

Cvjetko's route from the lower half was demanding from the start. She came through sections that included Kaja Schuster and Nauana Silva, then met Olympic silver medallist Miriam Butkereit in the semi-final. Butkereit had looked strong on the way in, having already beaten Michaela Polleres and Nino Gulbani.

That semi-final became one of the key turning points of the category. Cvjetko stayed composed in a long contest that was ultimately decided by penalties, doing enough to deny the German a place in the gold medal match.

Cvjetko did not lead the final early, but she refused to let it slip away.

The final itself brought a dramatic swing. Lishchenko, in her first Grand Prix final, showed no hesitation and quickly moved into a two-yuko lead. At that stage, the Russian looked in control and seemed to have the tactical edge.

But the match changed as Cvjetko increased the pressure. Lishchenko was forced deeper into defence, her attacks began to fade, and the penalties started to build. When the third Shido arrived for passivity, the contest was over and the gold belonged to the Croatian.

Cvjetko later said she was delighted with the gold and the Olympic qualification points, even if she did not see the final as her best performance. She pointed to her calmness after falling behind, trusting her grip and continuing to press until the result turned in her favour. She also said that after struggling with jet lag at the previous week's event, she felt much better physically in Qingdao.

There was also a clear note about the future. Missing Paris 2024 has sharpened her focus on Los Angeles 2028, which she described as her ultimate goal. Cvjetko added that she does not feel pressure to follow Barbara Matic's path, even if the Olympic champion remains a major inspiration.

The bronze medal contests also brought European success. Miriam Butkereit of Germany defeated Ida Eriksson of Sweden with smart transitions between forward and backward attacks, creating the opening for Waza-ari and then controlling the match well. In the other bronze medal bout, Aleksandra Andric of Serbia broke through against Nauana Silva in golden score, scoring Waza-ari to seal a podium finish.

For Europe, the -70 kg results carried real weight: gold for Croatia, bronze for Germany, and bronze for Serbia. In a division that kept changing shape all day, Cvjetko was the one who found the clearest path at the finish.

Source: IJF.org

Image source: IJF / International Judo Federation