Fast final finish as Hershko takes control of +78 kg in Tbilisi

Raz Hershko arrived in the women’s +78 kg category at the 2026 European Championships in Tbilisi as the top seed and clear favourite, and she fully delivered. The Israeli heavyweight powered through the draw with real authority and never allowed much doubt to build around the outcome. In the final, she faced France’s Lea Fontaine, who had put together a strong run of her own.

Before that, many expected Romane Dicko to be the one fighting for gold. The French star, a world champion and double Olympic medallist, could not quite settle into her usual rhythm and was stopped in the quarter-final during golden score by young Estonian Emma-Melis Aktas. It was one of the category’s biggest turning points and gave the European story an unexpected twist.

Fontaine then took advantage of the opening and defeated Aktas to secure her place in the gold medal match. But the final itself was over almost as soon as it began. Just over 30 seconds in, Hershko launched a powerful Seoi-otoshi and drove Fontaine cleanly on to her back for Ippon.

Hershko made the final feel brutally short.

That left the bronze medal contests carrying extra weight, especially for the European athletes still in the hunt. Italy’s Asya Tavano met Emma-Melis Aktas in a tight and tactical battle where both clearly knew what the other wanted to do. The Estonian picked up penalties in regular time, while Tavano kept edging closer to a breakthrough.

In extra time, the Italian finally found it. After three more minutes, she locked in a decisive shime-waza and earned Ippon to take the podium place. It was a patient, hard-earned bronze and a strong finish for Tavano.

The final medal of the category went to Romane Dicko. Up against Croatia’s Helena Vukovic, the French judoka came in with purpose, increased the pressure and made sure there would be no second disappointment. Around the midway point, she forced Vukovic down and finished the hold for Ippon.

That result gives Dicko a sixth senior European Championships medal at only 26 years old. Hershko owned the gold-medal moment, but the category still brought major European highlights through Fontaine’s final, Tavano’s bronze and another podium finish for Dicko.

Source: EJU_News