-63kg: Untouchable AGBEGNENOU wins her eighth Grand Prix title
World champion Clarisse AGBEGNENOU (FRA) worked her way through the -63kg field on Saturday to win all four of her contests to capture gold in Tbilisi. The Olympic silver medallist was relaxed, as relaxed an athlete as you will ever see in a professional setting, as she let her judo flow without routing the opposition as she often tends to. AGBEGNENOU went back to her ouchi-gari, which served her well today, to throw former Zagreb Grand Prix winner Karolina TALACH (POL) for ippon in the final.
In the first semi-final AGBEGNENOU bested Agadir Grand Prix bronze medallist Inbal SHEMESH (ISR) by a waza-ari after a respectable effort from the Israeli challenger. In the second semi-final four-time Oceania Championships winner Katharina HAECKER (AUS) was thrown by TALACH with a textbook uchi-mata for ippon.
The first bronze medal contest was won by Junior world bronze medallist Lubjana PIOVESANA (GBR) against HAECKER. PIOVESANA had lost their one previous meeting but avenged that today for a sweet win in added time. The Briton was coached by Seoul 1988 Olympic bronze medallist Dennis STEWART and coach and judoka were delighted when HAECKER could not get off a seoi-nage and the referee awarded a contest-winning waza-ari score after 36 seconds of golden score.
The second bronze medal was won by Abu Dhabi Grand Slam silver medallist Lucy RENSHALL (GBR) as Great Britain wrapped up a bronze double. RENSHALL caught her opponent with an ouchi-gari with 12 seconds left in their scoreless contest for a waza-ari score and SHEMESH could not produce a score in the closing seconds.
Final
TALACH, Karolina (POL) vs AGBEGNENOU, Clarisse (FRA)
Bronze Medal Fights
HAECKER, Katharina (AUS) vs PIOVESANA, Lubjana (GBR)
RENSHALL, Lucy (GBR) vs SHEMESH, Inbal (ISR)
Final Results
1. AGBEGNENOU, Clarisse (FRA)
2. TALACH, Karolina (POL)
3. PIOVESANA, Lubjana (GBR)
3. RENSHALL, Lucy (GBR)
5. HAECKER, Katharina (AUS)
5. SHEMESH, Inbal (ISR)
7. PASCOALINO, Yanka (BRA)
7. SHOR, Rotem (ISR)
-70kg: Favourite GAHIE charges to gold for France
Paris Grand Slam bronze medallist Marie Eve GAHIE (FRA) conquered former world number one Kelita ZUPANCIC (CAN) to win her first IJF title since 2016. The 21-year-old matched the result of her teammate Clarisse AGBEGNENOU as France won both women’s gold medals on day two. GAHIE sealed her hat-trick of Grand Prix titles when a failed attack from ZUPANCIC left her exposed on the ground and the French fighter was quick to apply the hold down for 20 seconds, ippon and Tbilisi Grand Prix gold.
In the first semi-final GAHIE defeated Düsseldorf Grand Slam bronze medallist Szaundra DIEDRICH (GER) with a huge makikomi effort for ippon to advance into the gold medal contest. In the second semi-final Rome European Open bronze medallist Carola PAISSONI (ITA) fell to ZUPANCIC by a waza-ari score in a contest which went the distance.
The first bronze medal was awarded to PAISSONI after Hohhot Grand Prix bronze medallist Natascha AUSMA (NED) was penalised for the third and final time for going out of the competition area. World number 52 PAISSONI had surprising success with her gripping as AUSMA failed to establish any rhythm and had to settle for fifth-place.
The second bronze medal was won by 17-year-old European Youth Olympic Festival winner Mariam TCHANTURIA (GEO) after a nail-biting showdown against DIEDRICH. Georgia’s Cadet World Championships bronze medallist became Georgia’s youngest ever medallist on the IJF World Judo Tour, beating Beka GVINIASHVILI who took gold in 2014 at the age of 18. TCHANTURIA will never forget the moment she won her first IJF World Judo Tour medal at home in Tbilisi and nor will those who witnessed it as the fans played their part with chants of “Mariam, Mariam” in golden score. Both judoka were physically spent but TCHANTURIA never backed down and forced a third shido against DIEDRICH who let the medal slip from her grasp.
Final
ZUPANCIC, Kelita (CAN) vs GAHIE, Marie Eve (FRA)
Bronze Medal Fights
PAISSONI, Carola (ITA) vs AUSMA, Natascha (NED)
TCHANTURIA, Mariam (GEO) vs DIEDRICH, Szaundra (GER)
Final Results
1. GAHIE, Marie Eve (FRA)
2. ZUPANCIC, Kelita (CAN)
3. PAISSONI, Carola (ITA)
3. TCHANTURIA, Mariam (GEO)
5. AUSMA, Natascha (NED)
5. DIEDRICH, Szaundra (GER)
7. SILVA, Bruna (BRA)
7. MAEKELBURG, Sarah (GER)
FINAL RESULTS: MEN
-73kg: Super SHAVDATUASHVILI shows his class at home
London 2012 Olympic champion and Rio 2016 Olympic bronze medallist Lasha SHAVDATUASHVILI (GEO) started as the top seed and came through five testing contests to win his third Grand Prix title. World number five SHAVDATUASHVILI won four of his five contests by ippon and was the crowd favourite on day two. Former Tbilisi Grand Prix bronze medallist Phridon GIGANI (GEO) was appearing in a Grand Prix final for the first time and struggled to live with his dangerous teammate as he accumulated not one or two but three shidos and was disqualified. The last shido was for hitting off the grip of his compatriot as SHAVDATUASHVILI showed that he is Georgia’s leading man at -73kg.
In the first semi-final SHAVDATUASHVILI beat world number 20 Sam VAN T WESTENDE (NED) to take his expected place in the final. The home star swept his Dutch opponent to the ground with a de-ashi-barai and followed up with osaekomi for 10 seconds to the adulation of the crowd. In the second semi-final GIGANI dramatically defeated Hohhot Grand Prix bronze medallist Mohammad MOHAMMADI (IRI) with a buzzer-beating modified kata-guruma for ippon to guarantee Georgia the gold medal at -73kg.
The first bronze medal was won by 20-year-old former Junior European bronze medallist Nils STUMP (SUI) who only made his IJF World Judo Tour debut in January with a seventh-place finish at the Tunis Grand Prix. STUMP thwarted MOHAMMADI to win by a waza-ari score and earn his first medal on the IJF World Judo Tour. The youngster is the seventh Swiss judoka in history to win an IJF World Judo Tour honour.
The second bronze medal went to VAN T WESTENDE who defeated Georgii SHMAKOV (RUS) in a battle between two judoka who were aiming to grace an IJF podium for the first time. That distinction went to the Dutchman who came from being a waza-ari behind to score two of his own for bronze. SHMAKOV only debuted on the circuit in January in Tunisia and showed his inexperience at this level when he was caught on two occasions with osoto-gari and VAN T WESTENDE could celebrate a career first.
Final
GIGANI, Phridon (GEO) vs SHAVDATUASHVILI, Lasha (GEO)
Bronze Medal Fights
MOHAMMADI, Mohammad (IRI) vs STUMP, Nils (SUI)
VAN T WESTENDE, Sam (NED) vs SHMAKOV, Georgii (RUS)
Final Results
1. SHAVDATUASHVILI, Lasha (GEO)
2. GIGANI, Phridon (GEO)
3. STUMP, Nils (SUI)
3. VAN T WESTENDE, Sam (NED)
5. MOHAMMADI, Mohammad (IRI)
5. SHMAKOV, Georgii (RUS)
7. NIAZASHVILI, Omari (GEO)
7. HAM, Eric (GBR)
-81kg: KIRAKOZASHVILI is the latest starlet off the Georgian production line
Former Junior European Championships winner Tamazi KIRAKOZASHVILI (GEO) joined a long line of illustrious male judoka who have topped an IJF medal podium for Georgia. After three of the most accomplished members of the Georgian team had already delivered the -60kg, -66kg and -73kg titles on day one and two, KIRAKOZASHVILI was the unexpected source of the -81kg gold medal. KIRAKOZASHVILI, 21, was pitted against Portugal’s Agadir Grand Prix bronze medallist Anri EGUTIDZE, 22, as the promising -81kg duo were both motivated by the opportunity to win their inaugural IJF gold medal. The home judoka prevailed as EGUTIDZE was caught off guard on the ground and reacted too late as KIRAKOZASHVILI applied a kami-shiho-gatame hold down for 20 seconds and a perfect finale to day two for the Georgian crowd.
In the first semi-final Paris Grand Slam bronze medallist Nugzari TATALASHVILI (GEO) lost out to teammate KIRAKOZASHVILI by ippon from a ko-uchi-gari. In the second semi-final world number 125 Sergii KRIVCHACH (UKR) was penalised three times against EGUTIDZE and was disqualified.
The first bronze medal was won by KRIVCHACH who produced two waza-ari scores against Tunis Grand Prix winner Stanislav SEMENOV (RUS) to be among the medallists on the international circuit for the first time in his young career. KRIVCHACH, 21, threw his opponent for a opening waza-ari and the sound of the landing reverberated around the venue as SEMENOV was caught by surprise. An ippon seoi-nage added a second and match-winning waza-ari as the Ukranian fought back the tears after being awarded the contest by the referee.
The second bronze medal went to TATALASHVILI who beat his country’s young contender Koba MCHEDLISHVILI (GEO) with a thunderous osoto-gari for ippon after two minutes of action. TATALASHVILI will still believe that he is Georgia’s best chance of an -81kg medal at the European Championships next month based on this performance but it will be interesting to see who earns a call-up to the continental championships.
Final
EGUTIDZE, Anri (POR) vs KIRAKOZASHVILI, Tamazi (GEO)
Bronze Medal Fights
KRIVCHACH, Sergii (UKR) vs SEMENOV, Stanislav (RUS)
MCHEDLISHVILI, Koba (GEO) vs TATALASHVILI, Nugzari (GEO)
Final Results
1. KIRAKOZASHVILI, Tamazi (GEO)
2. EGUTIDZE, Anri (POR)
3. KRIVCHACH, Sergii (UKR)
3. TATALASHVILI, Nugzari (GEO)
5. SEMENOV, Stanislav (RUS)
5. MCHEDLISHVILI, Koba (GEO)
7. KHUBETSOV, Alan (RUS)
7. REKHVIASHVILI, Zebeda (GEO)