FINAL RESULTS: WOMEN
-78kg: Brazil’s Olympic specialist records first IJF win since 2017
Double Olympic bronze medallist and two-time world champion Mayra AGUIAR (BRA) was back on the top of an IJF medal podium for the first time since 2017 as she denied Germany a gold medal on home soil. Zagreb Grand Prix bronze medallist Anna Maria WAGNER (GER) led the way for her country on the last day but met a determined AGUIAR who was all smiles as she returned to form by throwing her young German adversary with an o-soto-gari for a waza-ari score.
In the first semi-final Tel Aviv Grand Prix winner Klara APOTEKAR (SLO) was countered by AGUIAR with ashi-waza for ippon and a place in the final. In the second semi-final WAGNER threw two-time Olympic medallist and former world champion Audrey TCHEUMEO (FRA) with an o-soto-gari and then held down the Frenchwoman for 10 seconds to advance to the gold medal contest.
The first bronze medal contest was won by former Hohhot Grand Prix winner Bernadette GRAF (AUT) after a below-par TCHEUMEO was penalised for a third time for passivity.
The second bronze medal was won by APOTEKAR who used her frame to frustrate 17-time Grand Prix medallist Natalie POWELL (GBR) who lost out by a waza-ari score from a sumi-gaeshi.
Final WAGNER, Anna Maria (GER) vs AGUIAR, Mayra (BRA)
Bronze Medal Fights TCHEUMEO, Audrey (FRA) vs GRAF, Bernadette (AUT) POWELL, Natalie (GBR) vs APOTEKAR, Klara (SLO)
Final Results
1. AGUIAR, Mayra (BRA) 2. WAGNER, Anna Maria (GER) 3. GRAF, Bernadette (AUT) 3. APOTEKAR, Klara (SLO) 5. TCHEUMEO, Audrey (FRA) 5. POWELL, Natalie (GBR) 7. FABER, Christina (GER) 7. SHMELEVA, Antonina (RUS)
+78kg: Legendary heavyweight Idalys ORTIZ rules for Cuba
Cuba’s all-time great Idalys ORTIZ (CUB) defeated double world champion ASAHINA Sarah (JPN) in a close final in the women’s +78kg category. ORTIZ, who is closing in on a medal tilt at her fourth consecutive Olympics, outworked her Japanese rival who was penalised for passivity in the closing seconds to hand Grand Slam gold to the three-time Olympic medallist and two-time world champion.
In the first semi-final ORTIZ defeated Paris Grand Slam silver medallist Iryna KINDZERSKA (AZE) with an ippon seoi-nage while in the second semi-final World Judo Masters bronze medallist Larisa CERIC (BIH) was held down by ASAHINA with a kuzure-yoko-shiho-gatame.
The first bronze medal was awarded to two-time world silver medallist Maria Suelen ALTHEMAN (BRA) after world number two CERIC was penalised for passivity and was disqualified for her third infringement. The second bronze medal was won by KINDZERSKA who brushed aside former Openweight World Championships bronze medallist Nihel CHEIKH ROUHOU (TUN) by ippon from a o-soto-makikomi.
Final ASAHINA, Sarah (JPN) vs ORTIZ, Idalys (CUB)
Bronze Medal Fights CERIC, Larisa (BIH) vs ALTHEMAN, Maria Suelen (BRA) CHEIKH ROUHOU, Nihel (TUN) vs KINDZERSKA, Iryna (AZE)
Final Results
1. ORTIZ, Idalys (CUB) 2. ASAHINA, Sarah (JPN) 3. ALTHEMAN, Maria Suelen (BRA) 3. KINDZERSKA, Iryna (AZE) 5. CERIC, Larisa (BIH) 5. CHEIKH ROUHOU, Nihel (TUN) 7. TOLOFUA, Julia (FRA) 7. M BAIRO, Anne Fatoumata (FRA)
FINAL RESULTS: MEN
-90kg: Azeri ace MEHDIYEV stops Japanese teen in his tracks
Tel Aviv Grand Prix bronze medallist Mammadali MEHDIYEV (AZE) defeated 18-year-old Osaka Grand Slam bronze medallist MURAO Sanshiro (JPN) to strike Grand Slam gold for the first time in his career. The world number seven denied high school student MURAO a first IJF World Judo Tour title after the Japanese caught the eye in the preliminary rounds. MEHDIYEV executed a ura-nage to counter a ko-uchi-gari for a waza-ari score and that proved to be the decisive moment of the contest.
In the first semi-final Tel Aviv Grand Prix bronze medallist Jesper SMINK (NED) fell to teenager MURAO by ippon from an o-osoto-gari. In the second semi-final former world number one Aleksandar KUKOLJ (SRB) was beaten by MEHDIYEV in golden score with a ko-soto-gake.
The first bronze medal was won by European champion Mikhail IGOLNIKOV (RUS) who consigned KUKOLJ to a lowly fifth-place by his high standards by ippon from a o-soto-gari.
The second bronze medal was won by SMINK after former World Judo Masters silver medallist Joachim BOTTIEAU (BEL), who was covered in medical tape across his face, injured his leg and immediately tapped out to forfeit the contest.
Final MEHDIYEV, Mammadali (AZE) vs MURAO, Sanshiro (JPN)
Bronze Medal Fights KUKOLJ, Aleksandar (SRB) vs IGOLNIKOV, Mikhail (RUS) SMINK, Jesper (NED) vs BOTTIEAU, Joachim (BEL)
Final Results
1. MEHDIYEV, Mammadali (AZE) 2. MURAO, Sanshiro (JPN) 3. IGOLNIKOV, Mikhail (RUS) 3. SMINK, Jesper (NED) 5. KUKOLJ, Aleksandar (SRB) 5. BOTTIEAU, Joachim (BEL) 7. SHERAZADISHVILI, Nikoloz (ESP) 7. SILVA MORALES, Ivan Felipe (CUB)
-100kg: Japan’s IIDA, 20, overshadows world champion for second Grand Slam success
World Judo Masters bronze medallist IIDA Kentaro (JPN) swept away the opposition in Düsseldorf as he secured his second Grand Slam title. The young Japanese star took the final to world champion CHO Guham (KOR) and caught the owner of the red backpatch with a de-ashi-barai that had the crowd purring in satisfaction. CHO relentlessly attempted his low seoi-nage to no avail.
In the first semi-final IIDA trapped European Championships bronze medallist Zelym KOTSOIEV (AZE) in a tate-shiho-gatame hold for ippon. In the second semi-final CHO forced Cancun Grand Prix silver medallist Laurin BOEHLER (AUT) to concede a third penalty for passity and the owner of the red backpatch progressed into the final.
The first bronze medal was won by BOEHLER who launched The Hague Grand Prix bronze medallist Leonardo GONCALVES (BRA) for ippon after 35 seconds of golden score.
The second bronze medal went to world number 25 KOTSOIEV who showcased his ashi-waza to defeat world number 61 Bojan DOSEN (SRB) as the young Azeri secured a spot on a Grand Slam podium for the first time.
Final CHO, Guham (KOR) vs IIDA, Kentaro (JPN)
Bronze Medal Fights BOEHLER, Laurin (AUT) vs GONCALVES, Leonardo (BRA) DOSEN, Bojan (SRB) vs KOTSOIEV, Zelym (AZE)
Final Results
1. IIDA, Kentaro (JPN) 2. CHO, Guham (KOR) 3. BOEHLER, Laurin (AUT) 3. KOTSOIEV, Zelym (AZE) 5. GONCALVES, Leonardo (BRA) 5. DOSEN, Bojan (SRB) 7. DARWISH, Ramadan (EGY) 7. BORODAVKO, Jevgenijs (LAT)
+100kg: Five-star HARASAWA atones for 2018 final with heavyweight ippon for Japan
Olympic silver medallist HARASAWA Hisayoshi (JPN) won his fifth Grand Slam title as he convincingly defeated the highly-touted Abu Dhabi Grand Slam winner Inal TASOEV (RUS). HARASAWA banished his memories from the 2018 edition of Germany’s Grand Slam when he was disqualfieid along with this teammate OJITANI Takeshi in the final. World bronze medallist HARASAWA, who took silver in Paris a fortnight ago, has made a stellar start to the year and ended the second Grand Slam of the season on a high with a picturesque ippon from a uchi-mata after 90 seconds.
In the first semi-final HARASAWA sent Osaka Grand Slam winner Henk GROL (NED) over for ippon with an o-uchi-gari while in the second semi-final TASOEV squeezed past former Tokyo Grand Slam winner OGAWA Yusei (JPN) by a waza-ari score.
The first bronze medal was won by world bronze medallist number one seed and ULZIIBAYAR Duurenbayar (MGL) after OGAWA was dismissed three minutes into golden score for dropping with two shidos already to his name.
The second bronze medal went to two-time Junior World Championships silver medallist Stephan HEGYI (AUT) who threw an exhausted GROL after 12 seconds of golden score for a waza-ari.
Final TASOEV, Inal (RUS) vs HARASAWA, Hisayoshi (JPN)
Bronze Medal Fights OGAWA, Yusei (JPN) vs ULZIIBAYAR, Duurenbayar (MGL)
HEGYI, Stephan (AUT) vs GROL, Henk (NED)
Final Results
1. HARASAWA, Hisayoshi (JPN) . 2. TASOEV, Inal (RUS) 3. ULZIIBAYAR, Duurenbayar (MGL) 3. HEGYI, Stephan (AUT) 5. OGAWA, Yusei (JPN) 5. GROL, Henk (NED) 7. FREY, Johannes (GER) 7. OLTIBOEV, Bekmurod (UZB)
