Olympic champion TRSTENJAK reigns while world champion MOLLAEI claims bronze

WOMEN

-63kg: Olympic champion TRSTENJAK reigns over Japanese rival

Olympic champion Tina TRSTENJAK (SLO) won her first IJF gold medal since January 2018 as she thwarted Paris Grand Slam bronze medallist Nami NABEKURA (JPN) in golden score. TRSTENJAK won after one minute of added time after the Japanese judoka was guilty of a bear hug and picked up her third and final shido.

In the first semi-final TRSTENJAK saw off the challenge of European Games bronze medallist Sanne VERMEER (NED) after the Netherlands judoka picked up her third shido for passivity and was disqualified. In the second semi-final NABEKURA threw Baku Grand Slam bronze medallist Juul FRANSSEN (NED) for a waza-ari score and held down her Dutch opponent for 10 seconds for her second and match-winning waza-ari score.

The first bronze medal contest was won by Montreal Grand Prix gold medallist CHO Mokhee (KOR) who countered a weak attack by FRANSSEN for a match-winning waza-ari score after two minutes of golden score.

The second bronze medal was won by VERMEER who pinned down Hohhot Grand Prix silver medallist Gili SHARIR (ISR) with a sankaku-gatame to score her second and match-winning waza-ari.

Final TRSTENJAK, Tina (SLO) vs NABEKURA, Nami (JPN)

Bronze Medal Fights CHO, Mokhee (KOR) vs FRANSSEN, Juul (NED) SHARIR, Gili (ISR) vs VERMEER, Sanne (NED)

-70kg: HOWELL wins back-to-back events to head to Tokyo as Worlds contender

Budapest Grand Prix winner Gemma HOWELL (GBR) won her second IJF Grand Prix title in as many weeks as she beat three-time World Judo Masters winner Kim POLLING (NED) in the -70kg final. POLLING, who starred in the preliminaries with a powerful and focused showing, came undone against the Wolverhampton Judo Club product who hooked in for a waza-ari score as her mother Suzanne celebrated in the stands just as she did in Budapest.

In the first semi-final world number five Michaela POLLERES (AUT) fell to POLLING by ippon with two minutes remaining. In the second semi-final HOWELL held down European Games silver medallist Sanne VAN DIJKE (NED) for 20 seconds and ippon.

The first bronze medal was awarded to VAN DIJKE who went ahead with a waza-ari score against Summer Universiade silver medallist Madina TAIMAZOVA (RUS) who was eventually disqualified for her third shido for failing to tidy her judogi which had come undone.

The second bronze medal was won by POLLERES who dominated former world number one Kelita ZUPANCIC (CAN) with two scores in just 70 seconds to emphatically seal a place on the medal podium.

Final POLLING, Kim (NED) vs HOWELL, Gemma (GBR)

Bronze Medal Fights TAIMAZOVA, Madina (RUS) vs VAN DIJKE, Sanne (NED) ZUPANCIC, Kelita (CAN) vs POLLERES, Michaela (AUT)

FINAL RESULTS: MEN

-73kg: Israel’s BUTBUL achieves career first with well-timed gold in Zagreb

Baku Grand Slam silver medallist Tohar BUTBUL (ISR) earned his first IJF World Judo Tour gold medal by beating Osaka Grand Slam silver medallist Arthur MARGELIDON (CAN) in the -73kg final. The world number 11 threw with a seoi-otoshi with 35 seconds left to grace the highest spot on the IJF podium for the first time to strengthen his bid for success at the World Championships in four weeks time.

In the first semi-final MARGELIDON downed The Hague Grand Prix winner Musa MOGUSHKOV (RUS) by a waza-ari score while in the second semi-final BUTBUL blasted his way past Tbilisi Grand Prix bronze medallist Denis IARTCEV (RUS) by ippon.

The first bronze medal was won by IARTCEV who controlled Osaka Grand Slam bronze medallist TATSUKAWA Arata (JPN) down to the tatami as he countered an o-uchi-gari for ippon.

The second bronze medal went to MOGUSHKOV who threw Tel Aviv Grand Prix bronze medallist Artem KHOMULA (UKR) with ashi-waza and then te-waza for two waza-ari scores without reply to claim his ninth Grand Prix medal.

Final MARGELIDON, Arthur (CAN) vs BUTBUL, Tohar (ISR)

Bronze Medal Fights TATSUKAWA, Arata (JPN) vs IARTCEV, Denis (RUS) MOGUSHKOV, Musa (RUS) vs KHOMULA, Artem (UKR)

-81kg: Former world champion NAGASE claims second Grand Prix title.. this month

Former world champion NAGASE Takanori (JPN) won his second Grand Prix title in July as he followed up on his Montreal win by going unbeaten in Zagreb. Olympic bronze medallist NAGASE bested London 2012 Olympic bronze medallist Antoine VALOIS-FORTIER (CAN) by ippon in the final in a first-time meeting between two of the leading judoka in one of judo’s most fascinating weight categories. The victory for the Japanese also nudged his country up to the top of the medal table.

In the first semi-final world champion Saeid MOLLAEI (IRI) fell to VALOIS-FORTIER after two minutes of golden score by a waza-ari score as the latter lured in the Iranian and countered him for a place in the final. In the second semi-final NAGASE brushed aside former Budapest Grand Prix bonze medallist Robin PACEK (SWE) by the maximum score.

The first bronze medal was won by Budapest Grand Prix winner Tato GRIGALASHVILI (GEO) in just 50 seconds as he subdued PACEK, who initially led by a marginal waza-ari score, by ippon in an all-action contest.

The second bronze medal went to world number one MOLLAEI after two-time Grand Slam silver medallist LEE Seungsu (KOR) was penalised three times and was disqualified as the Iranian earned his sixth Grand Prix medal ahead of his title defence next month in Tokyo.

Final NAGASE, Takanori (JPN) vs VALOIS-FORTIER, Antoine (CAN)

Bronze Medal Fights GRIGALASHVILI, Tato (GEO) vs PACEK, Robin (SWE) MOLLAEI, Saeid (IRI) vs LEE, Seungsu (KOR)