By defeating the Ukrainian Yelyzaveta Lytvynenko (20th in the ranking) in the final with three punishments in 3.39m, Patrícia Sampaio (26th) won the -78 kg gold medal at the Portuguese Grand Prix, which ends today at the Pavilhão de Almada, increased to two the podiums of the National Team – Bárbara Timo (-63 kg) also won the day before – in this second edition of the event.

Remember that a year ago Portugal got four judokas medals through Catarina Costa (-48 kg) and Jorge Fonseca (-100 kg), they were gold, and Joana Diogo (-(52 kg) and Telma Monteiro (-57 kg) bronze. The difference is that in 2022 there were 301 judokas in competition and this time there were 544 from 81 countries. According to the IJF, a record of participants in a Grand Prix of the Circuit and that often does not even happen in the grand slams.

To reach her first final ever on the World Tour, the Olympic athlete from Gualdim Pais had to compete in four rounds, having beaten the Spaniard Lúcia Perez (97th) in the opening round with two wazaris – the second with a choke – at 1.11m, and dispatched the Croatian Petrunjela Pavic (63rd) by ippon in 2.25m in the 2nd round.

In the quarterfinals, he got the better of the South Korean Hyunji Yoon (19th) almost not allowing the Asian to attack and provoke him three punishments. In the semifinal, the also South Korean Jeongyun Lee (17th) also felt great difficulties to impose the handles against the Portuguese and ended up defeated by wazari.