Slovenia’s Tina Trstenjak, left, successfully defended her continental title after beating France’s Margaux Pinot, right, in the final ©Getty Images

Slovenia’s Tina Trstenjak successfully defended her continental title after beating France’s Margaux Pinot in the final of the women’s under 63 kilograms category at the European Judo Championships in Poland’s capital Warsaw today.

The reigning world and Olympic champion claimed victory in golden score, during which her opponent was given a second and match-losing penalty.

Having lost finals at the 2014 European Championships in Montpellier and the 2015 European Games in Baku, Trstenjak has now collected two successive continental crowns.

Great Britain’s Alice Schlesinger and Austria’s Kathrin Unterwurzacher were the bronze medallists at the expense of France’s Clarisse Agbegnenou and Germany’s Martyna Trajdos respectively.

The other women’s competition held today at the Torwar Arena came in the under 70kg category and saw The Netherlands’ Sanne Van Dijke mark her debut at the event with a gold medal.

The 21-year-old, who won European junior and under-23 gold in 2014, overcame Germany’s Giovanna Scoccimarro in the final.

"It’s crazy, European champion," Van Dijke told JudoInside.

"I am super happy.

"I slept really bad last night.

"I was nervous, but once I stepped on the tatami, all of that was gone and today I was super-efficient."

Azerbaijan's Hidayat Heydarov struck gold in the men's under 73kg category ©Getty Images
Azerbaijan's Hidayat Heydarov struck gold in the men's under 73kg category ©Getty Images

Number one seed Marie Eve Gahie of France was one of the two bronze medallists after beating Poland’s Katarzyna Klys.

She was joined on the third step of the podium by Croatia’s Barbara Matic, who proved too strong for Sweden’s Anna Bernholm in the other bronze medal contest.

In men’s competition, Azerbaijan’s Hidayat Heydarov beat Russia’s Musa Mogushkov to the under 73kg title.

A third penalty for Mogushkov in golden score sealed victory for Heydarov, who has become the first man to win a European title at four different age levels.

Heydarov was the European cadet champion in 2013 and 2014, while in 2016, he was the European junior and under-23 champion.

Compatriot Rustam Orujov beat Hungary’s Miklos Ungvari to the first bronze medal before the second went to Sweden’s Tommy Macias ahead of Israel’s Tohar Butbul.

The one other men’s gold medal won today was won by Russia’s Alan Khubetsov after he got the better of Germany’s Dominic Ressel in the under 81kg final.

Khubetsov’s fellow countryman Aslan Lappinagov took a bronze medal to the disappointment of The Netherlands’ Frank De Wit.

Croatia’s Dominik Druzeta also claimed third-place honours with Georgia’s Zebeda Rekhviashvili just missing out.

The women's under and over 78kg and the men's under 90kg and under and over 100kg competitions are due to be held tomorrow.

Watch all the latest judo action on Judo TV here.