Toni Geiger Wins Bronze at Finnish Open

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) - Toni Geiger (Dumont, N.J. / Tech Judo) earned her first medal at a European event on Sunday when she won bronze in the +78kg division at the Finnish Open in Vantaa. 

Competing in a round robin division, Geiger had a slow start to her day when she lost her opening matches to three-time World Cup medalist Sarah Adlington (GBR) and two-time World Cup medalist Marina Dibrova (GBR). 

Fighting for the chance to win the bronze, however, Geiger defeated Esmee Van Sloten (NED) by a waza-ari (half-point) score in her final match.

The win marks the second top-five finish in Europe for Geiger during the past week after her fifth-place finish at the Swedish Open in Boras last Sunday.

Five other U.S. players competed on Saturday, but did not earn match wins.

The reigning Finnish Open Champion at 48kg, Ann Shiraishi (San Francisco, Calif. / East Bay Judo Institute), failed to defend her 2008 title when she lost to Canadians Bianca Ockedahl and Marie-Pier Gauvreau by yuko (quarter-point) scores.

After winning the silver medal as a 48kg player in 2008, Natalie Lafon (Glenville, N.Y. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center) moved up to the 52kg division where she lost her first match by a yuko to two-time World Cup medalist Sophie Johnstone (GBR).  

Lafon's JMJC teammate Hannah Martin (Burnt Hills, N.Y. / NYAC) had a first-round bye, but lost her second match by ippon (instant win) to Liga Tera (LAT).  In the repechage, Martin advanced to the bronze medal match after a walkover by Ilona Buryachenko (RUS), but lost by referee's decision in an overtime match against Miriam Garmatter (GER). 

In the 90kg division, both of the U.S. players lost their first-round matches.  Jacob Larsen (Colorado Springs, Colo. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center / Team FORCE) lost by a yuko to Christopher Kronenberger (AUT).  Aaron Handy (Wakefield, Mass. / USA Judo National Team FORCE) lost by ippon to Manuel Abreu (POR).

Complete results are as follows:

Women's 48kg
1. Bianca Ockedahl (CAN)
2. Marie-Pier Gauvreau (CAN)
3. Ann Shiraishi (San Francisco, Calif. / East Bay Judo Institute)

Women's 52kg
1. Emilie Lafont (FRA)
2. Elodie Grou (FRA)
3. Miranda Wolfslag (NED)
3. Ana Sousa (POR)
5. Ekaterina Buravtseva (RUS)
5. Swetlana Breier (LUX)

Also Competed: Natalie Lafon (Glenville, N.Y. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center), 0-1 

Women's 57kg
1. Ekaterina Belova (RUS)
2. Charlie Arendt (LUX)
3. Miriam Garmatter (GER)
3. Satu Lehikoinen (FIN)
5. Liga Tera (LAT)
5. Hannah Martin (Burnt Hills, N.Y. / NYAC / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center)

Women's 63kg
1. Sabrina Filzmoser (AUT)
2. Virginie Henry (FRA)
3. Cindy Madelrieux (FRA)
3. Tomoko Kumamoto (JPN)
5. Johanna Ylinen (FIN)
5. Sarah Clark (GBR)

Women's 70kg
1. Jennyfer Arcq (BEL)
2. Evija Pukite (LAT)
3. Tine Mollerskov (DEN)
3. Lucie Perrot (FRA)
5. Margarita Lugova (RUS)
5. Hedwig Lechenauer (AUT) 

Women's 78kg
1. Celine Lebrun (FRA)
2. Sam Lowe (GBR)
3. Irina Gazieva (RUS)
3. Anna Vikingsdottir (ISL)

Women's +78kg
1. Sarah Adlington (GBR)
2. Marina Dibrova (RUS)
3. Toni Geiger (Dumont, N.J. / Tech Judo)
4. Esmee Van Sloten (NED)

Men's 60kg
1. Lilian Barreyre (FRA)
2. Vadud Balatkhanov (FIN)
3. Sergey Ustyan (RUS)
3. Remi Vinolo (FRA)
5. Nathon Burns (GBR)
5. Dmitrijs Kozlovs (LAT)

Men's 66kg
1. Diogo Cesar (POR)
2. Oleg Vasilyev (RUS)
3. Niko Tapio Niemela (FIN)
3. Colin Oates (GBR)
5. Steven Sibilo (FRA)
5. Roman Hlopov (RUS) 

Men's 73kg
1. Ugo Legrand (FRA)
2. Jonas Focke (GER)
3. David Flecha Diez (ESP)
3. Alexander Lyubchenko (RUS)
5. Alessandro Bruyere (ITA)
5. Fabian Seidlmeir (GER)

Men's 81kg
1. Antti Virta (FIN)
2. Walter Azoula (FRA)
3. Mika Toroi (FIN)
3. Timur Alikhanov (RUS)
5. Niklas Pettersson (SWE)
5. Justin Imagawa (CAN)

Men's 90kg
1. Alexandre Lhomme (FRA)
2. Zviadi Gogochuri (GEO)
3. Christophe Lambert (GER)
3. Remco van den Brink (NED)
5. Matthew Purssey (GBR)
5. Taavi Bekker (EST)

Also Competed: Jacob Larsen (Colorado Springs, Colo. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center / Team FORCE), 0-1
Aaron Handy (Wakefield, Mass. / USA Judo National Team FORCE), 0-1

Men's 100kg
1. Christophe Humbert (FRA)
2. Martin Pacek (SWE)
3. Maxime Clement (FRA)
3. Viktors Resko (LAT)
5. Stefan Krause (GER)
5. Nicandro Buono (ITA)

Men's +100kg
1. Christoffer Johansson (SWE)
2. Vladimirs Osnacs (LAT)
3. Jerome Wustner (FRA)
3. Juhan Mettis (EST)
5. Thormodur Jonsson (ISL)
5. Martin Padar (EST)

Tags: Aaron Handy, Ann Shiraishi, Hannah Martin, Jacob Larsen, Natalie Lafon, Toni Geiger