J1 -90 kg: Brazil Starts with Gold
The J1 -90 kg category is one in which we witnessed the most spectacular and committed fights as the athletes did not want to give up anything, to reach the final block. There was an atmosphere, emotion too, enough to electrify a crowd once again who came in droves to discover the para-judo athletes.
At the top of the draw, the number one seed of the Paralympic tournament, Arthur Cavalcante Da Silva (BRA) escaped from the trap of the preliminary phases to reach the final, by eliminating Turgun Abdiev (UZB), then Yasin Cimciler (TUR).
In the second half of the draw, it was Oleg Cretul (MDA) who was the favourite, but he fought at the start against a Cyril D Jonard (FRA), strongly supported by his audience. The contest had to go to golden score to separate the two judoka. The first act of Jonard's journey, blind and deaf, began.
In the next round, the Frenchman faced Daniel Powell (GBR) and once again it took golden score to decide between the two champions. After an epic fight, it was the Briton who qualified for the final, much to Jonard's dismay, but the intensity of this second act was fantastically high.
In the final Arthur Cavalcante Da Silva (BRA) won with panache against Daniel Powell (GBR). He scored a first waza-ari that he immediately followed on the ground to pin down his opponent. It was a beautiful day for Cavalcante Da Silva and a first gold medal for Brazil on day 3.
Jonard nevertheless still had a chance to get on the podium since he faced Turgun Abdiev (UZB) for the first bronze medal. We witnessed an intense moment of emotion once again, as Cyril Jonard pinned his opponent for ippon. He invited the public to make some noise, more and more, to be louder and louder and the public did. Then he thanked the spectators using sign language. The third act was simply beautiful.
The second bout for a bronze medal pitted Oleg Cretul (MDA) against Yasin Cimciler (TUR) and it was a tense contest, both judoka being penalised for not taking their kumi-kata properly. With less than 30 seconds to go, Cimciler scored a waza-ari, that gave him a very good option to step on the podium, but then he committed one more mistake and was disqualified. The bronze medal was for Oleg Cretul (MDA).
Final Results 1. Arthur Cavalcante Da Silva (BRA) 2. Daniel Powell (GBR) 3. Cyril Jonard (FRA) 3. Oleg Cretul (MDA) 5. Turgun Abdiev (UZB) 5. Yasin Cimciler (TUR) 7. Valerio Romano Teodori (ITA) 7. Mousa Gholamishafia (IRI)
J1 +90 kg: Brazil Scored Again with Silva De Araujo
In the J1 +90 kg men’s category, the top seed was also from Brazil and as for his teammate in the lower category, Wilians Silva De Araujo qualified for the final. On his way to the last contest of the day in the category, he defeated Yerlan Utepov (KAZ) and Ganbat Dashtseren (MGL).
The second half of the draw also saw the top seed, Ion Basoc (MDA) going through the preliminary rounds to reach the final. To do so, he passed Daniel Knegt (NED) and Jason Grandy (FRA).
After one minute in the final, Wilians Silva De Araujo signed for a clear victory after he scored a first wza-ari with a massive heavy-weight-style makikomi and then pinned Ion Basoc (MDA) for ippon. This is gold medal number two for Brazil on this third day.
In the first bronze medal contest it was the living legend of para-judo Ilham Zakiyev (AZE) and Ganbat Dashtseren (MGL) who faced each other. After a first waza-ari, Ilham Zakiyev controlled the rest of the contest, to secure the medal and to step once again on the podium of the Paralympic Games, just adding one more line to his impressive career.
The second bronze medal contest opposed Onur Tastan (TUR) and Jason Grandy (FRA). The French judoka did not take long to throw his opponent for ippon. As he did, the crowd literally exploded with joy and continued cheering for several minutes. Jason Grandy was in tears, his coach was in tears, but those were tears of happiness.
Final Results 1. Wilians Silva De Araujo (BRA) 2. Ion Basoc (MDA) 3. Ilham Zakiyev (AZE) 3. Jason Grandy (FRA) 5. Ganbat Dashtseren (MGL) 5. Onur Tastan (TUR) 7. Yerlan Utepov (KAZ) 7. Daniel Knegt (NED)
J1 +70 kg: Harnyk - World Champion and Now Paralympic Champion
Nine judoka were engaged in the J1 +70 kg weight category. The top seed, Anastasiia Harnyk (UKR), made the best of the preliminary rounds to reach the final later in the day. In the first round, she was opposed by Feruza Ergasheva (UZB), before winning against Christella Garcia (USA) in the semi-final.
Türkiye was hoping to reach the final with the number two seed, Nazan Akin Gunes (TUR), but after a first win against Khatira Ismiyeva (AZE), the Turkish judoka had to bow out against Erika Zoaga (BRA), who went to meet Anastasiia Harnyk in the final.
The 2022 world champion, Anastasiia Harnyk (UKR), didn't offer the slightest opportunity to Erika Zoaga (BRA) and threw her for ippon in less than a minute to add the Paralympic title to her prize list.
Feruza Ergasheva (UZB) and Nazan Akin Gunes (TUR) qualified for the first bronze medal contest. Akin Gunes scored the first waza-ari with o-uchi-gari. She then doubled the score to win the bronze medal with a makikomi.
To complete the podium Khatira Ismiyeva (AZE) and Christella Garcia (USA) had to fight for the second bronze medal. Christella Garcia won the bronze medal with a massive ko-soto-gake.
Final Results 1. Anastasiia Harnyk (UKR) 2. Erika Zoaga (BRA) 3. Akin Gunes (TUR) 3. Christella Garcia (USA) 5. Feruza Ergasheva (UZB) 5. Khatira Ismiyeva (AZE) 7. Roma Siska Tampubolon (INA) 7. Danitza Yoccelin Sanabria Alcala (VEN)
J2 -90 kg: A Gold Medal for Nazarenko, Latchoumanaya Disappointed
One of the most anticipated categories of the day was the J2 -90 kg group, as one of the best chances for France to win a gold medal was in the hands of Helios Latchoumanaya (FRA), who did not disappoint his public early in the day. After a first win against Lasha Kizilashvili (GEO), Latchoumanaya continued with a win against Marcelo Adriano De Azevedo Casanova (BRA), under the cheers of the full stadium.
Having qualified, Latchoumanaya only had to wait to see who his opponent would be. Would it be the number two seed, Davurkhon Karomatov (UZB) or another judoka? The answer was provided by the tatami, since it was finally Oleksandr Nazarenko (UKR) who completed the poster of a final that promised to be electric.
An opportunist, Oleksandr Nazarenko was the first to score during the final, on the edge of the tatami. Every attack of the French judoka would ignite a burst of hoorahs in the stands, but Nazarenko still had his waza-ari to count on. It became a tactical contest. Nazarenko was under pressure after he was penalised for the second time. Latchoumanaya was pushing and pushing but it was not enough. The attacks were strong but lacked precision and control. When the gong resonated in the stadium, Oleksandr Nazarenko was still one waza-ari ahead of Helios Latchoumanaya. The victory went to Ukraine.
Lasha Kizilashvili (GEO) and Davurkhon Karomatov (UZB) faced each other in the first bronze medal contest and there was tension between the two judoka, who put all their power and energy into the battle. Karomatov scored first with a seoi-otoshi to take the lead, a strong waza-ari. The Uzbek judoka then scored again with a counter-attack to secure the bronze medal.
The second bronze medal contest opposed Simone Cannizzaro (ITA) and Marcelo Adriano De Azevedo Casanova (BRA). After 1 minute and 20 seconds, Adriano De Azevedo Casanova produced a huge effort to throw with a powerful harai-goshi for waza-ari. He kept the score to win the bronze medal, already the third medal for Brazil today.
Final Results 1. Oleksandr Nazarenko (UKR) 2. Helios Latchoumanaya (FRA) 3. Davurkhon Karomatov (UZB) 3. Marcelo Adriano De Azevedo Casanova (BRA) 5. Lasha Kizilashvili (GEO) 5. Simone Cannizzaro (ITA) 7. Evan Molloy (GBR) 7. Daniel Rafael Goral (GER)
J2 +70 kg: 1, 2, 3 Brazil
Brazil was definitely a top team on this third day of competition at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games and once again the Brazilian representative, Rebeca De Souza Silva, was seeded number one and qualified for the final, where she was joined by Cuba's Sheyla Hernandez Estupinan.
In the final, Hernandez Estupinan decided to impose her own rhythm immediately to take advantage of her lighter weight. Rebeca De Souza Silva was waiting to counter-attack. As a result the Brazilian was penalised for passivity, but she also scored a waza-ari after she countered Hernandez Estupinan. When the second shido came, De Souza Silva was under heavy pressure but she managed to find some extra-energy to pin her opponent for ippon, offering a third gold medal to Brazil on the final day.
In the first match for a bronze medal, the crowd could cheer on Dursadaf Karimova (AZE) and Hongyu Wang (CNH). It did not take more than 5 seconds for Wang to win by ippon after Karimova launched a poorly prepared o-soto-gari that was immediately sanctioned with a powerful o-soto-gaeshi. The bronze medal goes to China.
The next match to find out who would be on the podium pitted Zarina Raifova (KAZ) and Carolina Costa (ITA) against one another. After a tactical contest and in golden score, Costa was penalised a third time, offering the victory and the bronze medal to Zarina Raifova.
Final Results 1. Rebeca De Souza Silva (BRA) 2. Sheyla Hernandez Estupinan (CUB) 3. Hongyu Wang (CNH) 3. Zarina Raifova (KAZ) 5. Dursadaf Karimova (AZE) 5. Carolina Costa (ITA) 7. Prescillia Leze (FRA) 7. Taylor Gosens (AUS)
J2 +90 kg: Türkiye Got their Gold Medal with Bolukbasi
The last category of the day, of the tournament and therefore of the Paralympic Games saw Türkiye reach the final that had been anticipated for three days, thanks to Ibrahim Bolukbasi. To do so, he defeated Tokyo Paralympic champion Christopher Skelley (GBR) in the semi-final. It was Revaz Chikoidze (GEO) who joined him in the final to conclude the tournament.
Ibrahim Bolukbasi was the first to score, after a strong attack from Chikoidze, that he avoided and then jumped under to apply a seoi-otoshi for waza-ari. However, the Gerogian judoka remained dangerous and apparently more powerful. Under pressure, Bolukbasi was penalised twice. There was no more room for any mistake and so Ibrahim Bolukbasi did not make any. The gold medal goes to Türkiye.
The host country could still hope for a medal thanks to Nacer Zorgani (FRA) who faced Zhurkamyrza Shukurbekov (KAZ) for the first bronze medal but unfortunately for him and for team France he was dominated by Shukurbekov who scored twice to reach the podium.
The second contest for a bronze medal pitted Tony Ricardo Mantolas (INA) against Christopher Skelley (GBR) against each other. The latter applied a powerful triangle turnover followed by an immobilisation to which Ricardo Mantolas had to submit. An ippon score and a bronze medal were for Christopher Skelley (GBR).
Final Results 1. Ibrahim Bolukbasi (TUR) 2. Revaz Chikoidze (GEO) 3. Zhurkamyrza Shukurbekov (KAZ) 3. Christopher Skelley (GBR) 5. Nacer Zorgani (FRA) 5. Tony Ricardo Mantolas (INA) 7. 7. FERNANDES JUNIOR, Sergio Fernandes Junior (BRA)