The first medal contest of the second day of competition in Tashkent pitted Momo Tatsukawa (JPN) against Laura Vazquez Fernandez (ESP). The Spanish competitor had done her homework and did everything she could to control the sleeve of her opponent, in an effort to neutralise her best positions. However Tatsukawa is an ashi-waza expert and can throw with or without her favourite grip and within the first 90 seconds had two yuko scores on the board.
The time ticked away and Vazquez Fernandez had no choice but to engage even more and as she did, with only 7 seconds on the clock, Tatsukawa threw again, an o-soto-gari for waza-ari, converted to the full ippon on the ground. The first medal of day2 was heading to Japan.
Ketleyn Quadros (BRA), a veteran of the World Judo Tour, stepped on to the mats looking for her 9th grand slam medal. Facing her was Iva Oberan, with two previous grand slam medals to her name. The second bronze medal of the category was a big prize for either but it was the Brazilian who came out stronger, initially. However, after a short break for some minor first aid treatment, Oberan came back with a renewed spirit and immediately set up a fast sumi-gaeshi which scored waza-ari. From that point Quadros was lost, powerless to do anything against the Croatian. A second waza-ari came less than a minute later and the bronze medal was Iva Oberan’s.
In the final, Kirari Yamaguchi (JPN) and Inbal Shemesh (ISR) came forward, each aware of the other’s skills and preferences. Early on, Shemesh put in a huge effort to pick up her opponent but Yamaguchi was ready for it and could avoid a bad situation. After that, a sort of stalemate was reached and both were penalised.
Not wanting to lose a shido battle, Shemesh attacked more hastily than before, two sacrifice techniques from two exchanges. However, after the first, Yamaguchi anticipated the second and used the transition phase to find her advantage. She held Inbal Shemesh for ippon to win her first grand slam gold medal.
Final (-63 kg)
Bronze Medal Fights (-63 kg)
