Takahashi and Tyrrell Claim Medals in Sarajevo
July 20, 2026
Ammi Takahashi produced, arguably, her most complete performance of her international career as she claimed Silver in the -57kg competition at the Sarajevo European Open this weekend.
Takahashi (Ealing Judo Club) pulled off a string of victories over high ranked opponents throughout the day before falling short in the Final, which would have given her her first Senior Tour Gold medal of her career.
She was imperious on the mat in Bosnia, winning all three of her opening fights via Osaekomi with her Hungarian, Egyptian, Bosnian opponents all unable to find a way of avoiding the Brit forcing them to the mat.
Her German opponent in the Final, Charlotte von Leupoldt, had done her homework on Takahashi and was determined not to fall to a similar fate. It was a close fought final with a single Yuko proving to be a difference.
Compatriot Madeleine Birri (Ealing Judo Club) produced an impressive performance in the same category, securing a fifth-place finish after narrowly missing out on a medal in the bronze medal contest.
Birri claimed an excellent victory over the top seed during the competition, underlining the quality of her performance throughout the day.
Rory Tyrrell (Camberley Judo Club) continues to make strides in the -81kg category after he won a second Bronze medal of 2026, to compliment his Riga Senior European Cup medal from back in March.
A straight-forward win over Albania’s Jon Vrenozi in the opening round provided the young Brit with momentum to overcome a heated Khadzhimurad Iupspov in the round of sixteen with the two separated by a waza-ari as time expired.
His finest win of the day came in the Quarter Final as he found the counter against the six-time African Senior Championships medalist Abdelrahman Abdelghany. The Egyptian went to attack Tyrrell but he saw it come and managed to force his opponent to the mat to register the win within thirty seconds.
Home favourite, and eventual Gold medalist, Mustafa Hebib managed to find a way past Tyrrell in the Semi Final, but he showed his resilience in the Bronze medal contest to shake off the disappointment and secure the bronze.
There were a number of early exits for the rest of the team with Summer Shaw, Maria Moss, Tommy Jackson, Logan Campbell and Eryk Neumann all falling to opening round defeats.
