Batkhuyag executed his game plan to perfection. Firm on his feet, patient and tactically disciplined, he waited for Bashaev’s characteristic shoulder attacks before shutting them down and countering with confidence. One such opportunity was enough; he scored a yuko, then managed the remainder of the contest with complete control until the final gong. It was gold for Gonchigsuren Batkhuyag after a superbly measured performance.
The bronze-medal match-ups saw Ushangi Kokauri (AZE) take on Jur Spijkers (NED) and Dzhamal Gamzatkhanov (AZE) meet Irakli Demetrashvili (GEO), offering two contests with very distinct profiles.
In the first bronze-medal bout, Kokauri got the better of Spijkers with a classic heavyweight uki-otoshi, finishing with osaekomi to secure his place on the podium.
The final bronze medal contest of the weekend proved tense until the very last second, with a third shido threatening both judoka. In the end, it was a yuko scored roughly one minute before the end of normal time that made the difference, allowing Demetrashvili to prevail and join the day’s medallists.
Final (+100 kg)
Bronze Medal Fights (+100 kg)
