Japan Strikes Four Times on Day One

Under a radiant sun on this Saturday, 5th February thousands of spectators crowded at the gates of the stadium, ready to follow and encourage their favourite judoka. It must be said that uncertainty had hovered over the judo planet for a few weeks. Was the Paris Grand Slam going to be able to take place normally due to the ongoing health crisis around the world? The answer is therefore now quite clear: YES!

Just before the final block, the public could participate in interactive games and discover the France Judo mascot, named Kodomo (translation from Japanese: children), who emphasised the importance of the judo values and the bow. A powerful and dynamic presentation of the 1,000 dojo initiative, the motto of which is 'work hard to make things easier,’ was also displayed before IJF President, Mr Marius Vizer and France Judo President, Mr Stéphane Nomis, took the floor for their welcome speeches.

Mr Nomis declared, "Hello Bercy! Dear judo lovers, you are always present despite the pandemic. You are the best crowd. Last year, in October, we invited you to come back for the 2022 edition of the Grand Slam and you are here. Thanks to Mr Marius Vizer, we can be together to offer you a great grand slam. Sport is nothing without the public. The athletes are fed with your support and your passion. Here there is always fairplay. You supported us in Tokyo and now our champions are back. Thanks from the bottom of my heart and please make a lot of noise for our champions."

Then Mr Vizer said, "Dear guests, dear President Nomis, dear spectators, welcome to Paris. I want to thank the French government, France Judo and all of you. This event is a great success knowing the present complicated context. With this grand slam we opened the doors to many sports here in Paris, with Paris 2024 ahead of us. I congratulate all the athletes, guests and spectators who follow, support and love judo. Thank you and I declare the 2022 Paris Grand Slam open." Then both French and IJF enthems were played.

As the Paris Grand Slam is taking place over two days only, seven weight categories entered into smooth play from the first moments and immediately they promised to be not only interesting, but exciting, offering great actions, confirmations and disappointments, surprises and pages that seemed already written. Yet in judo, everyone knows, nothing can really be planned and that makes it magical.

Women's -48kg: Skillful World Champion Tsunoda Wins for the First Time in Paris

The lightest women's category was dominated by Asian countries as Baasankhuu Bavuudorj (MGL) was opposed by Natsumi Tsunoda (JPN) in the final. If the Japanese competitor, world champion in 2021 in Budapest, World Judo Masters winner in 2018 and already the holder of seven grand slam medals, was not really a surprise, this was not the case with Baasankhuu Bavuudorj, who so far had no record at all on the international circuit. 136th on the World Ranking List, she defeated top seed, Mélanie Legoux Clément of France in the second round, before winning against German Katharina Menz in the semi-final.

Tsunoda was the first to answer the call to action with a superb tomoe-nage for a waza-ari, Baasankhuu Bavuudorj landing on her side 90° to the tatami. The match looked to be going only in one direction, the world champion having way too many weapons in her bag, to keep control in tachi-waza and ne-waza. It was actually on the floor that Tsunoda concluded. After an ude-gatame attempt (armlock), she adjusted her balance to pin Bavuudorj for ippon. This is a first gold medal at the Paris Grand Slam for Tsunoda.

Team France qualified two athletes for the bronze medal contests: Mélanie Clément Legoux against Wakana Koga (JPN) and Blandine Pont against Katharina Menz (GER). The first lost to the Japanese competitor with an immobilisation for ippon, while the second won in golden score with an opportunistic and acrobatic uchi-mata for waza-ari.

Men's -60kg: Nagayama Harvests Japan’s Second Gold

In the men's lightweight category, again Asia dominated with Ryuju Nagayama (JPN) and Seungbeom Jeon (KOR) entering the final. The Japanese judoka was junior world champion in 2015 and since then a two-time Masters champion, so it was not a surprise for him. In the semi-final he defeated top seed Karamat Huseynov (AZE). Once again the surprise came from the other half of the draw, where 23 year old Seungbeom Jeon, number 125 in the world, defeated local hero, bronze medallist at the Tokyo Olympic Games and winner of the first medal for the French delegation on this occasion, Luka Mkheidze (FRA), who so far had a perfect competition.

After having scored a first waza-ari with a swift achi-waza technique, Nagayama took control of the match despite spectacular attempts from Jeon and he concluded with an immobilisation for ippon. Gold for Nagayama and Japan.

In the first bronze medal match Luka Mkheidze faced his second Korean opponent of the day, Harim Lee. With a very clever combination of standing attacks immediately followed on the floor, Mkheidze kept control of the arm and armlocked his opponent for ippon and a big explosion of joy from the French audience. Even if he missed the final, Mkheidze showed that since his bronze medal at the Olympics, he is now among the top players in the category.

The second bronze medal contest saw Jaba Papinashvili (GEO) facing Karamat Huseynov (AZE). The latter quickly took a strong lead with an almost perfect shoulder movement that landed too much on the side to earn ippon. Huseynov was just about controlling the situation when in body-to-body contact, Papinashvili took his chance and hooked Huseynov with a spinning ko-uchi-gari for ippon.

Women's -52kg: Buchard vs. Krasniqi: Round 1 for Buchard

The match between Amandine Buchard, silver medallist in Tokyo last summer and Distria Krasniqi (KOS), Olympic champion but in the lower category, was the match everyone was expecting. After both athletes had a great morning session they eventually met in the final. Distria Krasniqi, who is back in her preferred category, seemed untouchable during the preliminaries, while Buchard made the public explode with joy, especially in the semi-final, when she sent current world champion Ai Shishime to the tatami with a superb ippon.

Sharp and strong, we can already say that Krasniqi has already adapted to her new weight category. Here against world number one Buchard, she was penalised twice for passivity as Buchard was the one imposing the pace of the match. Still, there were no attacks strong enough from either athlete, to put the other in danger. A very tactical golden score began, the French champion looking for the third penalty for Krasniqi and the other trying to avoid it. The least we can say is that Buchard and Krasniqi were giving it all but as the minutes were going by, Buchard seemed to be more tired than the Olympic champion. Against all odds, Buchard suddenly put all the energy she had left into a desperate seoi-nage that scored waza-ari but what a match between two amazing competitors. Today for the first match between the two women, it was Buchard who had that extra bit of will, but for sure there will be a hunt for revenge in the months and years to come and today was not Krasniqi's final word.

Amandine Buchard declared, "I did not study her at all. I focused on me. The strategy was to be very agressive from the beginning in the kumi-kata. It worked but I already know Distria will be very tough and now it is not only about me and Abe, because Distria will be soon part of the top group."

Distria Krasniqi said, "It was hard. She tried the same throw throughout the whole final but she does that move perfectly. I must learn from what happened today."

In the first bronze medal contest Astride Gneto (FRA) faced Fabienne Kocher (SUI). The French competitor was dominating but not able to score. In the golden score period, eventually, it was Kocher who took her chance to pin down her opponent after a nice piece of ground work with sangaku-jime.

The second bronze medal was disputed between Chelsie Giles (GBR) and Ai Shishime. Shishime won another new medal for Japan.

Men's -66kg: Yondonperenlei Wins for Mongolia

World number one and Olympic silver medallist Baul An (KOR) went through the preliminaries without major difficulties to face Baskhuu Yondonperenlei (MGL), fifth in the world and on fire since the morning, with a significant win against Vazha Margvelashvili (GEO) in the semi-final.

The first attack came from the most successful Korean judoka on the circuit right now, with a low seoi-nage for no score but from there on, the match was too balanced for any attack to be successful and it was An Baul who started to commit false attacks. After a long golden score period, the third penalty fell on An Baul, who didn't play it well from a tactical point of view against the wall of bricks that is Baskhuu Yondonperenlei. The Mongolian won the gold medal.

There was one last French competitor, out of four engaged in the competition in this category, who was present in the final block. Daikii Bouda (FRA) was up against Vazha Margvelashvili (GEO). Bouda resisted for a long time and we had to wait for the last forty seconds to see the Olympic silver medallist from execute a powerful hip movement for a clear ippon.

With no record on the international scene, the presence of Luukas Saha of Finland was a surprise and a good one since the Finnish judoka showed some really good judo during the preliminary rounds. The last step was a big one and probably too big as he faced Ryoma Tanaka (JPN) for a spot on the podium. After only 23 seconds, Tanaka, winner last year here in Paris, scored ippon with a one arm shoulder movement. No chance for Saha.

Women's -57kg: Funakubo for Japan Did it Again

With a win on the occasion of the last Grand Prix Portugal 2022, the 2016 Olympic champion was expecting another good day of judo but she was rapidly defeated by Faiza Mokdar (FRA) who pinned her down for ippon. For the French public, the hero of the day in this category was definitely the Olympic Silver medallist, Sarah Léonie Cysique (FRA), but she lost against Haruka Funakubo in the semi-final, while the second French competitor Priscilla Gneto couldn’t make it passed Momo Tamaoki (JPN), in the other semi-final. Thus, the two Japanese met in the final.

The final started with an ‘I know you too well' style, each competitor knew the other perfectly; with the having a similar style of judo. With one shido apiece, they entered the golden score period, the main question being, who would be able to change the pace? It was eventually when the third penalty was given to Tamaoki, that Funakubo was designated the winner of her second gold medal in Paris.

Enkhriilen Lkhagvatogod (MGL) was opposed by Priscilla Gneto (FRA) in the first bronze medal contest. In golden score, with a little ko-uchi-gari, Gneto was able to take a decisive advantage to win the bronze.

France secured a medal with Faiza Mokdar and Sarah Léonie Cysique facing off for the bronze medal. Sarah Léonie Cysique is already an Olympic medallist and has a lot of experience, while Faiza Mokdar is representing the new French generation in this category. Today experience paid off as Cysique in a clear transition situation, didn't lose control of the arm of her opponent and applied an armlock for ippon. This adds two new medals for the host country.

Men's -73kg: Shavdatuashvili Hunts One More Gold in Paris

There were several matches that could have been perfect for the final of the category. As many favourites were eliminated, there were two to remain at the end of the day. Judo legend Lasha Shavdatuashvili is a phenomenon. Having won everything, he still finds the energy and motivation to be among the best. Thus in the final he faced Soichi Hashimoto who, despite some scary moments for him during the early rounds, could finally join the Georgian champion.

The least we can say is that Lasha Shavdatuashvili has massive experience, but so does Soichi Hashimoto. When two experts like that meet, it is not surprising to witness a very tactical match, where neither of the athletes are really in a position to score. Nevertheless, it was interesting to see how the Georgian champion disrupted Hashimoto's judo by playing a high rhythm melody during the first part of the final. In golden score, the Japanese seemed to bounce back as Shavdatuashvili slowed his pace, but there was one shido between them and that was enough, when the third penalty was given, to give the victory to Lasha Shavdatuashvili, the medal hunter.

Lasha Shavdatuashvili said, “I have the feeling of being like a good bottle of spirit. The older I get older the better I am. Actually when the opponent is top level I always raise my level. I wanted to win in Paris and now it is done!”

We will remember the early loss of Rustam Orujov, who was defeated by Benjamin Axus (FRA), on fire throughout the day. Eventually the French competitor qualified for the bronze medal contest against 2016 Olympic Champion Fabio Basile, who as usual gave everything to win. The Italian hero was so close to defeating Hashimoto in the semi-final but didn't succeed. In the bronze medal match, it was Axus who immediately took the lead with a counterattack for waza-ari. Much taller than Basile, Axus continued to control all the attempts of his famous opponent, who looked totally out of opportunities. The French competitor, who really had an incredible day, controlled until the last second to win a well deserved medal that will help him to change his ranking. Actually, in the morning of the tournament, Axus was at a far away 242nd position in the World Ranking List. Job well done!

Tsogtbaatar Tsend-Ochir (MGL) met Shakhram Akhadov for the second bronze medal and the medal went to Mongolia.

Women's -63kg: Japan Finshes the Day in Gold with Nabekura

The last final of the day was also a 100% Japanese as Masako Doi, bronze medallist here in Paris two years ago and Nami Nabekura, 2015 junior world champion, qualified to determine gold and silver.

Once again the final was very tactical, both athletes knowing the other too well to be able to find throwing opportunities. In the end, as announced, Japan won and it was Nami Nabekura.

Lucy Renshall (GBR) was the top seed competitor of the day in the category, but she had to work for bronze only, against Polish Angelika Szymanska, who already won a bronze medal here in Paris last October. Unfortunately for the British athlete, Szymanska added a second bronze medal in a row in Paris.

The Netherlands had one medal guaranteed as Sanne Vermeer (NED) and Geke Van Den Berg (NED) were qualified for the second bronze medal contest. Despite Van Den Berg having a really good day, the bronze medal was a little out of reach and it eventually went to her teammate Sanne Vermeer, who scored ippon.

Japan won four titles on day one of the 2022 Paris Grand Slam, putting them far ahead on the medal table. Despite this domination, which is not surprising looking at the level of the Japanese armada, France, Mongolia and Georgia also won their gold medal, while nine countries reached the podium and 22 the final block. This concludes a first day of competition that offered to the public a classy and exciting show. Tomorrow, on day two, it’s the turn of the heavier weight categories. Be ready to follow the action from 11:00am local time on https://live.ijf.org/