Neither judoka was afraid to attack and they did so with speed and ingenuity, finding space where most would or could not. Two potential scores were reviewed and both were waved off, the only moments during which the spectators fell silent; they were riveted. 41 seconds into golden score though, they were silenced completely when Ravshanov threw Gassner for ippon with a committed and perfectly prepared seoi-otoshi.
The second bronze medal would either go to Chusniddin Karimov (CZE) or Aron Szabo (HUN). There was a first waza-ari for Szabo for an o-soto-otoshi but an equaliser almost immediately when Karimov threw with sumi-gaeshi. It remained even as they headed into golden score but at 1:24 of extra time, Karimov threw with a direct uchi-mata and earned his second waza-ari to clinch the medal and the right to step on to the podium under his national flag.
Giovanni Esposito beat some classy opposition to reach the final of the -73 kg category, including -66 kg world and Olympic medallist Denis Vieru (MDA). In the final he stood against Daniel Szegedi of Hungary, the man responsible for putting Gassner into the bronze medal contest.
Szegedi was the heavier gripper of the two but both showed extraordinary skills of anticipation, reacting to each other’s attacks almost before they were fully formed. Esposito did manage to log a score though, throwing for a yuko with o-uchi-gari as a response to Szegedi’s ko-soto-gari attack. It was enough and Giovanni Esposito was the winner of the gold medal, his first gold on the World Judo Tour.
Final (-73 kg)
Bronze Medal Fights (-73 kg)
