For months, the whole world has been talking about the health crisis that affects movement and interactions between people. However, despite the very strict protocol in place so that the competitions can take place safely, the world of judo has resumed its cruising speed and the Grand Slam of Tashkent is a perfectly controlled event, taking place in the best possible conditions.
Among the things that we looked forward to at the start of the competition was the participation of the Japanese, already qualified for the Games but who see Tashkent as good preparation for the current generation, as well as the next. With four finalists, out of five categories, we can say that the contract is fulfilled. Overall, Asia is doing well and is leading the first day by monopolising the finals. Europe is not doing badly in this very challenging context.
-48kg: MUNKHBAT for Mongolia on Top Again Number one seed in the lightest category of the competition, Urantsetseg MUNKHBAT (MGL), had a clear advantage over most of her opponents today. It must be said that the Mongolian is a reference on the world circuit. Holder of three world medals (gold, silver and bronze), as well as three medals at the Masters, including one title, plus 34 medals from Grand Slam and Grand Prix tournaments, her rank of favourite is not out of the blue. Unsurprisingly, MUNKHBAT entered the final after having once again demonstrated all her technique and power in the standing to ground transitions.
In the final MUNKHBAT found TSUNODA Natsumi (JPN) who, although she was not seeded (48th in the world), had good chances to perform, in a category which remained very open in the second half of the draw. It seemed obvious that the Japanese judoka did not want to follow her opponent on the floor, but the real danger came from the standing position. With superb use of the action reaction principle, MUNKHBAT rolled TSUNODA on her back for a perfect ippon.
While we indicated to you during the preview of the competition, that it would be necessary to follow the match between the two Serbs, Milica NIKOLIC and Andrea STOJADINOV, this one turned to the advantage of the latter, during the quarter-finals. However, after the semi-finals and STOJADINOV's loss against MUNKHBAT Urantsetseg, the two athletes qualified for the bronze medal matches.
NIKOLIC was pitted against the Spanish fighter Laura MARTINEZ ABELENDA, while STOJADINOV faced the Italian Francesca GIORDA. Both Serbian athletes won and so the decision concerning the Olympic Games is not yet finalised.
Final MUNKHBAT, Urantsetseg (MGL) vs. TSUNODA, Natsumi (JPN)
Bronze Medal Contests NIKOLIC, Milica (SRB) vs. MARTINEZ ABELENDA, Laura (ESP) GIORDA, Francesca (ITA) vs. STOJADINOV, Andrea (SRB)
Final Results 1. MUNKHBAT, Urantsetseg (MGL) 2. TSUNODA, Natsumi (JPN) 3. NIKOLIC, Milica (SRB) 3. STOJADINOV, Andrea (SRB) 5. GIORDA, Francesca (ITA) 5. MARTINEZ ABELENDA, Laura (ESP) 7. MILANI, Francesca (ITA) 7. SIDEROT, Maria (POR)
-60kg: A First Gold Medal for Japan: NAGAYAMA World Number one, NAGAYAMA Ryuju of Japan, could scare all his opponents on the day and they would have been forgiven for feeling that way! While the Japanese team, despite his world ranking, did not select him for the Olympic Games, with the AJJF selecting TAKATO Naohisa, NAGAYAMA nonetheless retains the necessary motivation to perform at the highest level. This, once again, demonstrates the incredible depth of Japan in the lightweight categories. Ruining the hopes of the home nation, by eliminating the Uzbek Kemran NURILLAEV (UZB) in the semi-final, NAGAYAMA qualified for the final, where he was up against Yeldos SMETOV (KAZ), the 2015 world champion.
After a few seconds, with a superb sode-tsuri-komi-goshi, that made SMETOV draw a sun on the horizon of the Humo venue, NAGAYAMA was close to scoring, but like a cat, the Kazakh escaped and landed on his stomach. The very next attack earned a waza-ari for the Japanese judoka, from a left-handed morote-seoi-nage. The task seemed a little too difficult for SMETOV, who kept attacking but could not overcome the challenge. Until the last second, NAGAYAMA was still dangerous, almost scoring a second waza-ari with a counterattack, but the score remained the same. NAGAYAMA could enjoy the victory with the characteristic Japanese calmness and respect.
In the first match for a bronze medal, we found the Frenchman Luka MKHEIDZE opposed to Karamat HUSEYNOV (AZE). Throughout the day, the French fighter gave hope to the French men's team who are in search of results, still looking for a full quota of Olympic qualifiers. The medal went to MKHEIDZE, on the podium for only the second time at a grand slam, after HUSEYNOV was disqualified for applying a forbidden technique.
Shahboz SAIDABUROROV (TJK), whose honour roll on the international circuit is as yet blank, faced Kemran NURILLAEV (UZB), silver medalist at the Antalya Grand Prix in 2019. To the delight of the public, NURILLAEV took his first medal in a grand slam after SAIDABUROROV received a third penalty, to disqualify him.
Final NAGAYAMA, Ryuju (JPN) vs. SMETOV, Yeldos (KAZ)
Bronze Medal Contests MKHEIDZE, Luka (FRA) vs. HUSEYNOV, Karamat (AZE) SAIDABUROROV, Shahboz (TJK) vs. NURILLAEV, Kemran (UZB)
Final Results 1. NAGAYAMA, Ryuju (JPN) 2. SMETOV, Yeldos (KAZ) 3. MKHEIDZE, Luka (FRA) 3. NURILLAEV, Kemran (UZB) 5. HUSEYNOV, Karamat (AZE) 5. SAIDABUROROV, Shahboz (TJK) 7. PAPINASHVILI, Jaba (GEO) 7. VERSTRAETEN, Jorre (BEL)
-52kg: ABE Confirms her Favourite Status in Tashkent The question at the start of the competition was clearly: who could really oppose the reigning world champion and big favourite for the Olympic title this summer, ABE Uta (JPN)? We were answered quickly. Even when lacking competition and sometimes a bit of rhythm, which did not allow her to win all her fights by ippon, Abe qualified for the final without any real concern.
Like her compatriot in the lower category, the Mongolian LKHAGVASUREN Sosorbaram, junior world champion in 2019, had a chance to face ABE in the final, but due to an injury she had to let her gold medal dream go and ABE, without any extra effort, stepped on top of the medal podium.
Fabienne KOCHER (SUI), second at Grand Slam Hungary last October, which marked the restart of the World Judo Tour, met Nadezda PETROVIC (SRB), ranked at a distant 96, to form the 100% European duo of the first bronze medal match.
Two other continents were represented in the contest for a second bronze medal, in the shape of JEONG Bokyeong (KOR) and Brazilian Larissa PIMENTA. Their match showed the different national styles of judo and offered a tactical game that was different from matches seen earlier in the category.
Final ABE, Uta (JPN) vs. LKHAGVASUREN, Sosorbaram (MGL)
Bronze Medal Contests KOCHER, Fabienne (SUI) vs. PETROVIC, Nadezda (SRB) JEONG, Bokyeong (KOR) vs. PIMENTA, Larissa (BRA)
Final Results 1. ABE, Uta (JPN) 2. LKHAGVASUREN, Sosorbaram (MGL) 3. JEONG, Bokyeong (KOR) 3. KOCHER, Fabienne (SUI) 5. PETROVIC, Nadezda (SRB) 5. PIMENTA, Larissa (BRA) 7. PARK, Da Sol (KOR) 7. PERENC, Agata (POL)
-66kg: AN Wears Gold in Tashkent Recent winner of the World Judo Masters in Doha in January, AN Baul (KOR) is definitely very fit and once again he went to the final, after eliminating his compatriot KIM Limhwan in the semi-final. To compete for gold, AN was opposed to YONDONPERENLEI Baskhuu (MGL), third in the Paris Grand Slam last year, but the Korean was definitely the stronger athlete and won the gold medal.
Finalist of the Tel Aviv Grand Prix in 2020, before it became a grand slam this season, Kazak Yerlan SERIKZHANOV was up against Aram GRIGORYAN of Russia, third in the last World Judo Masters, for his first access to the podium. The first bronze medal went to GRIGORYAN, with the result showing clearly but differently on the faces of the two athletes.
The audience was able to raise their voices again, in the second bronze medal match, with the presence of Sardor NURILLAEV (UZB), ready to battle against KIM Limhwan (KOR) and in jubilant Uzbek style the noise level rose massively with the victory of the home crowd favourite, Sardor NURILLAEV.
Final AN, Baul (KOR) vs. YONDONPERENLEI, Baskhuu (MGL)
Bronze Medal Contests SERIKZHANOV, Yerlan (KAZ) vs. GRIGORYAN, Aram (RUS) NURILLAEV, Sardor (UZB) vs. KIM, Limhwan (KOR)
Final Results 1. AN, Baul (KOR) 2. YONDONPERENLEI, Baskhuu (MGL) 3. GRIGORYAN, Aram (RUS) 3. NURILLAEV, Sardor (UZB) 5. KIM, Limhwan (KOR) 5. SERIKZHANOV, Yerlan (KAZ) 7. GANBOLD, Kherlen (MGL) 7. POLIAK, Matej (SVK)
-57kg: TAMAOKI Adds One more Gold for Japan Winner of her Grand Slam at home two weeks ago, Timna NELSON LEVY is in good shape. Today she believed for a long time she'd be able to repeat her performance on Uzbek soil, but it was without taking into account the determination of LIEN Chen-Ling (TPE), who during the golden score of the semi-final succeeded with a perfect sequence on the ground to nail the Israeli using an unstoppable sankaku-jime (triangle choke). LIEN therefore qualified for the final and would face the TAMAOKI Momo (JPN), winner of the Osaka Grand Slam in 2019. It was TAMAOKI who finally went for gold, after she applied a shime-waza on LIEN for ippon.
In the first match for the bronze medal, we found another member of the Serbian delegation, an athlete making a showpiece of her endurance, Marica PERISIC (SRB). There she faced Timna NELSON LEVY (ISR). Half way to the end, the Israeli was leading by waza-ari from a superb counterattack. Initially it was announced as ippon and NELSON LEVY had already celebrated, but as the score was downgraded, she had to re-concentrate and maybe that offered an opportunity to PERISIC to score on the edge, also a waza-ari. Taking the momentum over her opponent, the Serbian kept it to win with a second waza-ari from the shoulder throw.
For the last bronze medal of day 1 in Tashkent, KIM Jisu (KOR) met Theresa STOLL (GER), who failed at the foot of the podium just two weeks ago in Tel Aviv. This time the German concluded in a perfect manner, with an effective combination on the floor and an ippon win.
Final TAMAOKI, Momo (JPN) vs. LIEN, Chen-Ling (TPE)
Bronze Medal Contests PERISIC, Marica (SRB) vs. NELSON LEVY, Timna (ISR) KIM, Jisu (KOR) vs. STOLL, Theresa (GER)
Final Results 1. TAMAOKI, Momo (JPN) 2. LIEN, Chen-Ling (TPE) 3. PERISIC, Marica (SRB) 3. STOLL, Theresa (GER) 5. KIM, Jisu (KOR) 5. NELSON LEVY, Timna (ISR) 7. PEREIRA, Jessica (BRA) 7. RECEVEAUX, Helene (FRA)
Trends are gradually emerging, even if there is still a long way to go to Tokyo and between now and the Games the level will rise further with each competition. What is certain is that after the long year of uncertainty that all countries have lived through, all have found their way back to the tatami and the athletes can once again express their potential. There is still work to be done to be ready for the June World Championships in Budapest and in July, as we head to Tokyo for the Games.
Where to Watch the Tashkent Grand Slam 2021? TMG Russia, CBC SPORT, AZTV, Ceska TV, Claro Sports, EUROSPORT PAN-EUROPE AND APAC, Jsports, KAZ Sport, Match TV, Meridiano Venezuela, NOS Netherlands, ORF Austria, RTV Espana, RTV Slovenia, Sky Italia, Silk TV Sports, Sport 5 Israel, Sport TV Portugal, SportKlub, SPS Sport Mongolia, SPTV, (HOO TV) Croatia, TVP Sport Poland, Varzish TV, MENA - SNRT
And you can always watch at live.ijf.org