Day 1 Technical Analysis: Turning the Tide

Tugce Beder (TUR) has two grand prix medals to her name, both bronzes, but hadn’t yet been able to replicate that feat at grand slam level, until now. She made it through to another -48kg bronze medal contest in Tashkent, where she faced off against Martinez Abelenda (ESP). Things were not looking good for Beder, as the Spaniard dominated the contest, attacking more frequently and more strongly with several dropping throw attempts; that was until Martinez Abelenda tried to change direction with ko-uchi-makikomi, missing her opponent’s leg and allowing the Turk to pull her onto her front and apply a fast okuri-eri-jime to upset the course of the match and get the submission.

Serbia’s Andrea Stojadinov proclaimed 2022 as her “worst year ever,” as for the first time in her career, she took zero medals in international competition in the calendar year. That bad luck certainly lifted on day 1 in Tashkent as she made her way through to the final of the -48kg category, where top seed Costa (POR) awaited her. Much like the aforementioned bronze medal match, Stojadinov struggled with the pace of Costa and went down a waza-ari to a dropping kata-guruma attack. However, Stojadinov persevered and started to dictate the pace herself, forcing Costa to take two penalties, before launching in for a whirling uchi-makikomi to level the score in the final second of regular time. A final shido in golden score against Costa secured the win and a first grand slam gold for the Serb.

There was another maiden grand slam gold medal, this one for Mascha Ballhaus of Germany in the -52kg category, where she upset the odds to defeat the ever-present Shishime (JPN) in the final. The German began the contest strongly, attacking repeatedly with uchi-mata in kumi-giwa, or ‘off-the-grip.’ These attacks drew a reaction from Shishime, which Ballhaus utilised effectively to quickly change direction and score waza-ari with a clean o-uchi-gari and that was enough to defeat the two-time world champion and earn Ballhaus a career-best result.

2022 junior world champion at -66kg, Nurali Emomali (TJK), had his first major success at senior level today, blitzing his way through to dispute the final with the host nation’s Nurillaev, himself on fine form. The final was a dynamic and thrilling affair with plenty of open, attacking judo on display. Nurillaev almost took the lead with an ura-nage attempt mid-way through the match, with the Tajik only just landing on his front. Now wary of the technique, when Nurillaev threatened with it again in response to an uchi-mata, Emomali reacted wisely, reversing the direction and hooking onto the Uzbek’s leg for ko-uchi-gari this time, controlling his opponent all the way down to score the ippon. The Tajik fighter takes his country’s first medal on the World Judo Tour this year and did so in style.

Nurillaev’s silver medal aside, the other success for the home country came in the form of surprise package Doston Ruziev, ranked a distant 168 in the world at -60kg. Disappointing performances from higher seeds Baratov and Bakhtiyorov left the hope of a nation riding on his shoulders going into his bronze medal match against Bouda of France. Ruziev was a regular at Tashkent in its grand prix form, his best result until today being a 5th place in 2017. He stepped up his game for the grand slam and wore down his French opponent until, in the 5th minute of golden score, he feinted a seoi-nage attack but combined it with a strong ko-uchi-makikomi to score waza-ari and take a well-earned first circuit medal.

Arguably the biggest throw of the final block came in the final of the -60kg category, where Kim Won Jin (KOR), returning to the World Tour after a short absence, came up against the prodigious Serikbayev (KAZ), a former cadet world champion. Kim first attacked with sasae-tsurikomi-ashi but this was anticipated by the Kazakh, who immediately tried to counter with sumi-otoshi. However, Kim showed his experience, numbing the counter attack, then launching his own sumi-otoshi, to send his opponent flying over for ippon; a fine end to a fine performance from the 30-year-old.

Changes of direction and misdirection are key tools in the competitive judoka’s toolbox and both were used to great effect in the final block on day 1 of the Tashkent Grand Slam 2023. What technical treats do the middleweights have in store for us on day 2? Find out by watching the coverage at live.ijf.org.