For the first 3 minutes the contest result was anyone’s guess but with exactly a minute to go, Okada attempted an o-uchi-gari which he changed quickly into an uchi-mata, a scoring one; Okada was ahead by a waza-ari. Raadulj applied a lot of pressure in the gripping phases that followed but couldn’t convert that into an equaliser and so the first medal of the third day was headed to Japan.
The crowd enjoyed having Thomas Scharfetter (AUT) to cheer for in the second bronze medal contest. He faced Fronckowiak (BRA), hoping to add a second bronze medal to Austria’s tally, after Bernd’s Fasching’s excellent performance on day two. The Brazilian was the more active of the two though and just after the halfway point he threw for a yuko, putting the Austrian under pressure. Scharfetter had to come forward but that also played into Fronckowiak’s hands. He used Scahrfetter’s strength against him and threw for ippon.
The final was eagerly awaited but unfortunately tato Grigalashvili was unable to compete and so the medal, always heading to Georgia, would be in the pocket of Giorgi Jabniashvili. This is the 21-year-old’s first grand prix gold.
Final (-90 kg)
Bronze Medal Fights (-90 kg)
