At -60 kg, the top seeds looked set to obey the ranking but the local judoka had other ideas. The top two seeds, Bliev (IJF) and Bayramov (AZE) made it through to the semi-finals but 3 and 4 were knocked out of line by Ibrohimov (UZB) and Boturov (UZB). Whether they could make it all the way to an all-Uzbek final remained to be seen but it was certainly a tall order.
Bekmurodov (UZB) upset the status quo at -66 kg but he didn’t upset the crowd at all. Faced with last year’s Tashkent gold medallist, the 2022 junior world champion Nurali Emomali (TJK), Bekmurodov, from his lowly place at 112 on the World Ranking List, managed to counter his opponent for a yuko and hold it almost to the end of time. In the dying seconds of the contest, Emomali had a vice-like grip on a juji-gatame attempt but as the buzzer sounded, Bekmurodov escpaed it and the crowd cheered loudly.
Shturbabin (UZB), Tilovov (UZB) and Bekmuradov all made it to the semi-finals for the home team, ensuring at least one medal would remain in Tashkent at the end of the day.
Daria Kurbonmammadova (IJF) could have been listed among the favourites of the -57 kg category. Always explosive and always highly technical, she began well against Mohinur Allaberganova (UZB), even with the crowd and the drums against her. She threw after just a minute with a spinning uchi-mata and put a first yuko on the board. However, just a minute later the tables were turned; a big mistake from the double European champion. She chopped her less experienced opponent down but didn’t apply her usual focus to the transition phase. The Uzbek underdog flattened herself out on top of Kurbonmammadvoa and freed her trapped leg with ease to hold for ippon. One of the favourites was out!
At -48 kg, only 1 of the top 4 seeds made it to the last 8; Martinez Abelenda (ESP), Costa (POR) and Tynbayeva (KAZ) all lost before the quarter-finals, giving them no chance to try again. The 4th, Giliazova (IJF), actually the top seed, was also toppled but in the round of 8. It is unusual to list names for semi-finals which include none of the favourites and yet, here we are! Perhaps with the top 8 of the group stretching down to number 37 on the WRL, the group is more open than usual and perhaps, therefore, the underdogs have found a foothold. Whatever the reason, we can enjoy the unpredictability and seeing new names come to the fore. This event could well be their catalyst, the much-needed propulsion toward regular podium finishes.
What is clear on day one is that the Uzbek team have presented a united front against the rest. No matter the ranking, medal-winning history or national emblem facing them, they have given of their best and taken this opportunity to perform under the gaze of their public; good for them! Among the two men’s categories of the day, 5 Uzbek competitors reached the semi-final stages, quite a staggering statistic. Although it should also be noted that Japan, although not overwhelmingly dominant, placed 5 women in the semi-finals, across the 3 categories of the day.
The final block will begin at 5pm local time and can be followed on JudoTV.com.