Rio 2016 Olympic bronze medallist Or SASSON (ISR) provided the dream conclusion to an extraordinary Grand Prix for the hosts as the heavyweight powerhouse won +100kg gold.
Israel won four gold medals, two silver and one bronze to mark the historic season opener with a dominant display which showed the world the power of Israeli judo and the national governing body’s incredible capacity to deliver a world-class sporting masterpiece.
The host nation finished first ahead of Italy (two gold, three silver, one bronze) and France who secured two gold medals and one bronze.
#JudoTelAviv2019 was the number one trend in Israel
Judo has dominated the discussion on the news and on the streets in Israel this week as the country has been gripped with judo fever. The contract to stage the competition was only signed 88 days ago in Abu Dhabi but the IJF’s first event in Israel has been long anticipated and filled the Shlomo Arena to capacity on all three days.
The patriotic home crowd created an electric atmosphere with a cauldron of noise meeting the entrance of every judoka into the field of play and especially those from the host nation.
Israel’s first experience of hosting an IJF World Judo Tour event was unanimously regarded as an overwhelming success. Judo’s maiden event of the season, which is part of the qualification campaign for Tokyo 2020, was also the most popular topic in Israel on social media.
The IJF has over 1,000,000 fans on its social media channels and utilised its fan-friendly networks to encourage fans from Israel and from around the world to join in with the discussion online.
The hashtag #JudoTelAviv2019 was the number on trend on Twitter in Israel as fans were as vocal online as they were in the venue with the sensational performances of their athletes driving the discussion and making sure that a bigger venue will be required in 2020.
FINAL RESULTS: WOMEN
-78kg: Slovenia’s APOTEKAR wins her first Grand Prix gold medal
Zagreb Grand Prix silver medallist Klara APOTEKAR (SLO) defeated Tashkent Grand Prix winner Loriana KUKA (KOS) in the -78kg final to open her Grand Prix gold medal account. The Slovenian threw KUKA in added time with a sumi-gaeshi for a match-winning waza-ari score.
In the first semi-final POWELL was caught by Tashkent Grand Prix winner Loriana KUKA (KOS) who broke the balance of her Welsh opponent and drove her over for ippon. In the second semi-final Junior World Championships bronze medallist Patricia SAMPAIO (POR) was submitted by APOTEKAR via an armlock.
The first bronze medal contest was won by World Championships bronze medallist Aleksandra BABINTSEVA (RUS) who submitted SAMPAIO with a juji-gatame for ippon. The second bronze medal was won by world number 34 Katie-Jemima YEATS-BROWN (GBR) who stunned her teammate and 17-time Grand Prix medallist POWELL with a sode-tsurikomi-goshi for ippon.
Final APOTEKAR, Klara (SLO) vs KUKA, Loriana (KOS)
Bronze Medal Fights SAMPAIO, Patricia (POR) vs BABINTSEVA, Aleksandra (RUS) POWELL, Natalie (GBR) vs YEATS-BROWN, Katie-Jemima (GBR)
Final Results
1. APOTEKAR, Klara (SLO) 2. KUKA, Loriana (KOS) 3. BABINTSEVA, Aleksandra (RUS) 3. YEATS-BROWN, Katie-Jemima (GBR) 5. SAMPAIO, Patricia (POR) 5. POWELL, Natalie (GBR) 7. RAMIREZ, Yahima (POR) 7. SHMELEVA, Antonina (RUS)
+78kg: Azeri ace KINDZERSKA powers to heavyweight gold
Former world bronze medallist Iryna KINDZERSKA (AZE) overpowered Tashkent Grand Prix bronze medallist Yelyzaveta KALANINA (UKR) on the ground for heavyweight gold in Tel Aviv. KINDZERSKA trapped her younger Ukrainian rival in osaekomi for 20 seconds and ippon to win Azerbaijan’s first gold medal in Israel.
In the first semi-final KINDZERSKA beat Olympic bronze medallist Anamari VELENSEK (SLO) by ippon while in the second semi-final Agadir Grand Prix bronze medallist Ivana SUTALO (CRO) was undone by KALANINA with an o-uchi-gari on the edge of the area.
The first bronze medal was awarded to former Brazil international Rochele NUNES (POR) after SUTALO was disqualified after three penalties in an insipid display. The second bronze medal was won by VELENSEK who submitted The Hague Grand Prix winner Maryna SLUTSKAYA (BLR) with shime-waza to win her country’s second medal of the competition.
Final KALANINA, Yelyzaveta (UKR) vs KINDZERSKA, Iryna (AZE)
Bronze Medal Fights SUTALO, Ivana (CRO) vs NUNES, Rochele (POR) VELENSEK, Anamari (SLO) vs SLUTSKAYA, Maryna (BLR)
Final Results
1. KINDZERSKA, Iryna (AZE) 2. KALANINA, Yelyzaveta (UKR) 3. NUNES, Rochele (POR) 3. VELENSEK, Anamari (SLO) 5. SUTALO, Ivana (CRO) 5. SLUTSKAYA, Maryna (BLR) 7. JABLONSKYTE, Sandra (LTU) 7. MARANIC, Ivana (CRO)
FINAL RESULTS: MEN
-90kg: CLERGET climbs onto the top of the podium for France ahead of Paris Grand Slam
World Championships bronze medallist Axel CLERGET (FRA) clinched his second Grand Prix title as he defeated Ekaterinburg Grand Slam bronze medallist Nicholas MUNGAI (ITA) in the -90kg final. The Frenchman submitted his rival with a ude-garami to provide his country with their best result in Israel and will now look forward to his home event, the Paris Grand Slam, in two weeks time.
In the first semi-final The Hague Grand Prix bronze medallist Jesper SMINK (NED) was caught with a tomoe-nage by MUNGAI (ITA) while in the second semi-final CLERGET downed world number 54 Klen Kristofer KALJULAID (EST) with an o-uchi-gari for ippon.
The first bronze medal was won by top seed MEHDIYEV Mammadali (AZE) who took final block newcomer KALJULAID over for a waza-ari score. The second bronze medal went to SMINK after European u23 Championships bronze medallist Bas VAN EMPELEN (NED) accumulated three penalties.
Final MUNGAI, Nicholas (ITA) vs CLERGET, Axel (FRA)
Bronze Medal Fights MEHDIYEV, Mammadali (AZE) vs KALJULAID, Klen Kristofer (EST) SMINK, Jesper (NED) vs VAN EMPELEN, Bas (NED)
Final Results
1. CLERGET, Axel (FRA) 2. MUNGAI, Nicholas (ITA) 3. MEHDIYEV, Mammadali (AZE) 3. SMINK, Jesper (NED) 5. KALJULAID, Klen Kristofer (EST) 5. VAN EMPELEN, Bas (NED) 7. BROWN, Colton (USA) 7. NHABALI, Quedjau (UKR)
-100kg: IDDIR doubles France’s golden haul in Israel
Tashkent Grand Prix silver medallist Alexandre IDDIR (FRA) won his second Grand Prix gold medal as he bested Antalya Grand Prix bronze medallist Benjamin FLETCHER (IRL) in the -100kg final. IDDIR scored a waza-ari from te-waza and firmly protected his advantage to provide France with their second gold medal in Tel Aviv.
In the first semi-final Tunis Grand Prix silver medallist Ramazan MALSUIGENOV (RUS) fell to IDDIR by ippon from an o-soto-gari while in the second semi-final world number 31 Grigori MINASKIN (EST) lost out to FLETCHER after 62 seconds of golden score with a sumi-gaeshi which earned a waza-ari score.
The first bronze medal was won by MINASKIN who thwarted world number 107 Jelle SNIPPE (NED) with a modified kata-guruma to win his first IJF Grand Prix medal at his 18th attempt. The second bronze medal went to Kayhan OZCICEK-TAKAGI (AUS) who brushed aside MALSUIGENOV with a forceful o-soto-gari to earn his first IJF medal for Australia.
Final IDDIR, Alexandre (FRA) vs FLETCHER, Benjamin (IRL)
Bronze Medal Fights SNIPPE, Jelle (NED) vs MINASKIN, Grigori (EST) MALSUIGENOV, Ramazan (RUS) vs OZCICEK-TAKAGI, Kayhan (AUS)
Final Results
1. IDDIR, Alexandre (FRA) 2. FLETCHER, Benjamin (IRL) 3. MINASKIN, Grigori (EST) 3. OZCICEK-TAKAGI, Kayhan (AUS) 5. SNIPPE, Jelle (NED) 5. MALSUIGENOV, Ramazan (RUS) 7. BAUZA, Karolis (LTU) 7. KUNSZABO, Luca (ROU)
+100kg: SASSON competes Grand Prix hat-trick as Israel rule at home
Olympic bronze medallist Or SASSON (ISR) ended the historic first IJF event in Israel on a high for the hosts as the heavyweight maestro won the last final of the competition. SASSON defeated The Hague Grand Prix winner Yakiv KHAMMO (UKR) in golden score to win Israel’s fourth Grand Prix gold medal and to make sure his country finished out of sight at the top of the medal table.
In the first semi-final Tashkent Grand Prix silver medallist Bekmurod OLTIBOEV (UZB) lost out to KHAMMO by ippon from an o-uchi-gari while SASSON bested world silver medallist Ushangi KOKAURI (AZE) in the other semi-final with a ko-uchi-gake for ippon.
The first bronze medal was won by Agadir Grand Prix silver medallist Anton KRIVOBOKOV (RUS) over KOKAURI with a harai-makikomi after just 21 seconds. The second bronze medal went to Paris Grand Slam bronze medallist Aliaksandr VAKHAVIAK (BLR) who upset OLTIBOEV by ippon as the Uzbek finished fifth to match his result from the 2018 World Championships.
Final SASSON, Or (ISR) vs KHAMMO, Yakiv (UKR)
Bronze Medal Fights KRIVOBOKOV, Anton (RUS) vs KOKAURI, Ushangi (AZE) OLTIBOEV, Bekmurod (UZB) vs VAKHAVIAK, Aliaksandr (BLR)
Final Results
1. SASSON, Or (ISR) 2. KHAMMO, Yakiv (UKR) 3. KRIVOBOKOV, Anton (RUS) 3. VAKHAVIAK, Aliaksandr (BLR) 5. KOKAURI, Ushangi (AZE) 5. OLTIBOEV, Bekmurod (UZB) 7. TSIARPITSKI, Uladzislau (BLR) 7. KOLESNYK, Andrii (UKR)
