Renata Zachová, a native of Budějc, won gold at the European Championships in Zagreb, Croatia. It was a historic triumph. The representative won in the weight class up to 63 kilograms in battles with five opponents and became the first Czech to win the most valuable medal at the continental championship among adults. At the same time, in the qualification ranking, they hold the position that ensures participation in the Olympic Games in Paris.
The twenty-three-year-old student of the Palacký University in Olomouc experienced the tournament of her life in the Croatian capital, without participating in the star Lukáš Krpálek was the biggest hope of the Czech team. And she mastered her role Renata Zachová to number one. On Friday, she ended the twenty-year wait of Czech women’s judo for a medal from the European championship. She last won bronze in 2004 Andrea Pokorná. However, Renata Zachová was happy about the most valuable metal. “I am very happy for all of us, we did it as a team. It was a hard and long day, but to turn it around in the final was beautiful. I couldn’t ask for more,” the native of České Budějovice commented on the historic success on the social networks of the Olomouc club’s coach’s ward Jiří Štěpán.
The beginning of the journey to the valuable title was difficult, in the first round the Czech representative fought with the Belgian Alessia Corra, the win was decided only by the third penalty for the opponent in the set-up. “Two quick wins followed. Magdalena Krssaková, an Austrian with Slovak roots, was sent to the ground by her favorite ‘wrapper’. Against the young Italian Russová, she hit a low seoi otoshi on the very first start and the semi-final participation was guaranteed,” Renata Zachová’s teammate from the Olomouc club explained on the website of the Czech Judo Association František Šmehlík.
The talented Czech judoka came close to ending the match before the limit even in the semi-finals against the favored two-time vice-champion of Europe Andrej Leškiová from Slovenia, but the strong opponent missed Zachová three seconds before the ippon. But then the Olomouc University student stopped the pressure. With the certainty of winning the precious metal, the junior European champion from 2020 could already prepare for the final.
Even in the last match, she faced a showdown with the favorite – the Dutch Joanne van Lieshout defeated Renata Zachová at the recent Grand Slam class tournament in Tbilisi. “The two-time junior world champion did take the lead when she sent Zachova to the side with a low technique. But the Czech representative soon pulled out her personal technique of soda curi komi goši, which she tightened in such a way that the Dutchwoman had no chance to resist. A beautiful ippon and shots of Renata proudly pointing to the Czech national emblem on her chest with golden lettering will go down in the history of Czech judo.” portrayed by František Šmehlík for Czech judokas.
