Women -70kg: Japan’s ONO beats France’s PINOT to gold
World bronze medallist ONO Yoko (JPN) won her third Grand Slam title at the expense of Osaka Grand Slam bronze medallist Margaux PINOT (FRA). A nervy contest was settled by penalties in golden score when the home judoka was penalised for the third and final time for leaving the area and the gold medal was gifted to world number 12 ONO.
In the first semi-final two-time Grand Prix winner Barbara TIMO (POR) lost out to ONO by ippon. In the second semi-final World Judo Masters gold medallist NIIZOE Saki (JPN) was surprised by PINOT by ippon.
The first bronze medal was won by NIIZOE who launched World Championships silver medallist Marie-Eve GAHIE (FRA) with a uchi-mata for a world-class ippon.
The second bronze medal contest featured TIMO and Zagreb Grand Prix bronze medallist Assmaa NIANG (MAR) and it was the former – on her debut for Portugal – who held down her opponent in osaekomi to make an immediate impression on the world stage.
Final PINOT, Margaux (FRA) vs ONO, Yoko (JPN)
Bronze Medal Fights NIIZOE, Saki (JPN) vs GAHIE, Marie Eve (FRA)
TIMO, Barbara (POR) vs NIANG, Assmaa (MAR)
Final Results 1. ONO, Yoko (JPN) 2. PINOT, Margaux (FRA) 3. NIIZOE, Saki (JPN) 3. TIMO, Barbara (POR) 5. GAHIE, Marie Eve (FRA) 5. NIANG, Assmaa (MAR) 7. ZUPANCIC, Kelita (CAN) 7. MATIC, Barbara (CRO)
-78kg: France’s MALONGA boosts Tokyo 2020 bid with first Paris victory European champion Madeleine MALONGA (FRA) won her home Grand Slam for the first time as she defeated Tashkent Grand Prix bronze medallist Luise MALZAHN (GER) after two minutes. MALONGA opened the scoring with a waza-ari from an o-soto-gari and the final was settled when her German rival was penalised for going out of the area which was her third indiscretion.
In the first semi-final Osaka Grand Slam gold medallist SATO Ruika (JPN) was stunned by MALONGA who threw beautifully with an o-soto-gari for ippon.
In the second semi-final MALZAHN defeated former Qingdao Grand Prix bronze medallist CHEN Fei (CHN) who was disqualified after she accumulated three penalties.
The first bronze medal was claimed by CHEN who won an epic battle with Tel Aviv Grand Prix bronze medallist Katie-Jemima YEATS-BROWN (GBR). Both judoka failed to trouble the scoreboard in regulation time and an additional six and a half minutes of added time was required to produce a winner as CHEN threw with a makikomi effort for a waza-ari score.
The second bronze medal contest featured former world champion UMEKI Mami (JPN) and compatriot SATO and the contest went in the favour of the former. UMEKI held down SATO in golden score for 20 seconds and ippon to claim her fifth Grand Slam medal.
Final MALZAHN, Luise (GER) vs MALONGA, Madeleine (FRA)
Bronze Medal Fights YEATS-BROWN, Katie-Jemima (GBR) vs CHEN, Fei (CHN)
UMEKI, Mami (JPN) vs SATO, Ruika (JPN)
Final Results 1. MALONGA, Madeleine (FRA) 2. MALZAHN, Luise (GER) 3. CHEN, Fei (CHN) 3. UMEKI, Mami (JPN) 5. YEATS-BROWN, Katie-Jemima (GBR) 5. SATO, Ruika (JPN) 7. TCHEUMEO, Audrey (FRA) 7. POWELL, Natalie (GBR)
+78kg: Heavyweight legend ORTIZ wins maiden Paris crown Cuban legend Idalys ORTIZ added a new title to her medal cabinet by beating Tel Aviv Grand Prix gold medallist Iryna KINDZERSKA (AZE) to the women’s heavyweight gold medal. ORTIZ reigned Supreme in the +78kg category by a waza-ari score to earn her second Grand Slam title and add to her masses of Olympic and world medals as one of the most decorated active judoka in the sport.
In the first semi-final ORTIZ saw off 2018 Paris Grand Slam winner KIM Minjeong (KOR) by ippon while in the second semi-final World Judo Masters winner SONE Akira (JPN) was shocked by KINDZERSKA who prevailed by ippon.
The first bronze medal was claimed by SONE who held her nerve to come back from a surprise semi-final defeat to beat Olympic bronze medallist Anamari VELENSEK (SLO) by a waza-ari score for her fifth Grand Slam medal at just 18 years old.
The second bronze medal contest was won by KIM who pinned down Tel Aviv Grand Prix silver medallist Yelyzaveta KALANINA (UKR) after a makikomi effort to add to her country’s day two medal haul.
Final KINDZERSKA, Iryna (AZE) vs ORTIZ, Idalys (CUB)
Bronze Medal Fights VELENSEK, Anamari (SLO) vs SONE, Akira (JPN)
KALANINA, Yelyzaveta (UKR) vs KIM, Minjeong (KOR)
Final Results 1. ORTIZ, Idalys (CUB) 2. KINDZERSKA, Iryna (AZE) 3. SONE, Akira (JPN) 3. KIM, Minjeong (KOR) 5. VELENSEK, Anamari (SLO) 5. KALANINA, Yelyzaveta (UKR) 7. NUNES, Rochele (POR) 7. CHIBISOVA, Kseniia (RUS)
Men -81kg: Germany’s RESSEL makes Grand Slam breakthrough in Paris
The Hague Grand Prix bronze medallist Dominic RESSEL (GER) won Grand Slam gold for the first time as he defeated Tel Aviv Grand Prix winner Sagi MUKI (ISR) by ippon for -81kg gold. RESSEL countered his in-form rival for ippon and the best result of his career.
In the first semi-final Grand Slam debutant Ruslan MUSSAYEV (KAZ) was humbled by MUKI. In the second semi-final RESSEL outfought Olympic champion Khasan KHALMURZAEV (RUS) who was giving his marching orders after picking up three penalties.
The first bronze medal was clinched by world champion Saeid MOLLAEI (IRI) who emphatically bested KHALMURZAEV by two scores. Iran’s second world judo champion reaggravated a longstanding injury while executing his winning throw and was helped off the mat by his Russian adversary.
The second bronze medal was won by Budapest Grand Prix winner Alan KHUBETSOV (RUS) who edged past rank outsider MUSSAYEV by a waza-ari score.
Final MUKI, Sagi (ISR) vs RESSEL, Dominic (GER)
Bronze Medal Fights KHALMURZAEV, Khasan (RUS) vs MOLLAEI, Saeid (IRI)
MUSSAYEV, Ruslan (KAZ) vs KHUBETSOV, Alan (RUS)
Final Results 1. RESSEL, Dominic (GER) 2. MUKI, Sagi (ISR) 3. MOLLAEI, Saeid (IRI) 3. KHUBETSOV, Alan (RUS) 5. KHALMURZAEV, Khasan (RUS) 5. MUSSAYEV, Ruslan (KAZ) 7. CASSE, Matthias (BEL) 7. ESPOSITO, Antonio (ITA)
-90kg: Olympic bronze medallist GWAK shows his class Former world champion GWAK Donghan (KOR) was the star performer in the -90kg category as he concluded an impressive display with a win over World Judo Masters bronze medallist Islam BOZBAYEV (KAZ) in the final. Olympic bronze medallist and 2015 world champion GWAK recorded his second Grand Slam triumph by throwing his Kazakh opponent with a seoi-otoshi and a uchi-mata as he scored a waza-ari each time.
In the first semi-final GWAK conquered world bronze medallist NAGASAWA Kenta (JPN) by ippon. In the second semi-final BOZBAYEV beat Tbilisi Grand Prix bronze medallist Li KOCHMAN (ISR) by the maximum score.
The first bronze medal was won by former world silver medallist TOTH Krisztian (HUN) who threw KOCHMAN for the maximum score in the last 30 seconds. Hungary’s TOTH scored ippon with his seoi-nage to seal a place on the podium and his fifth Grand Slam medal.
The second bronze medal went to NAGASAWA who overpowered Osaka Grand Slam winner MUKAI Shoichiro (JPN) on the ground. NAGASAWA claimed his fifth Grand Slam medal while MUKAI slipped down from gold in 2018 to a fifth-place finish in 2019.
Final GWAK, Donghan (KOR) vs BOZBAYEV, Islam (KAZ)
Bronze Medal Fights KOCHMAN, Li (ISR) vs TOTH, Krisztian (HUN)
MUKAI, Shoichiro (JPN) vs NAGASAWA, Kenta (JPN)
Final Results 1. GWAK, Donghan (KOR) 2. BOZBAYEV, Islam (KAZ) 3. TOTH, Krisztian (HUN) 3. NAGASAWA, Kenta (JPN) 5. KOCHMAN, Li (ISR) 5. MUKAI, Shoichiro (JPN) 7. CLERGET, Axel (FRA) 7. GANTULGA, Altanbagana (MGL)
-100kg: Georgian great LIPARTELIANI completes Paris hat-trick Olympic and world silver medallist Varlam LIPARTELIANI (GEO) held up three fingers to signify his third win at at the Paris Grand Slam. Former world champion WOLF Aaron (JPN) was caught with a uchi-mata for a waza-ari score and Georgia’s captain fantastic held on to win his country’s first gold medal at the first Grand Slam of the year.
In the first semi-final world champion CHO Guham (KOR) fell to LIPARTELIANI by ippon
In the second semi-final The Hague Grand Prix winner PALTCHIK Peter (ISR) fell into a holddown from WOLF and there was no way out for the in-form Israeli.
The first bronze medal was won by PALTCHIK who beat world number 45 Zlatko KUMRIC (CRO) in his first start for 2019. PALTCHIK, who missed the Tel Aviv Grand Prix due to sickness, scored twice without reply to provide Israel with their second medal in Paris.
The second bronze medal went to CHO who moved under Cancun Grand Prix winner Niiaz BILALOV (RUS) to throw with his trademark ippon seoi-nage for the maximum score.
Final WOLF, Aaron (JPN) vs LIPARTELIANI, Varlam (GEO)
Bronze Medal Fights PALTCHIK, Peter (ISR) vs KUMRIC, Zlatko (CRO)
BILALOV, Niiaz (RUS) vs CHO, Guham (KOR)
Final Results 1. LIPARTELIANI, Varlam (GEO) 2. WOLF, Aaron (JPN) 3. PALTCHIK, Peter (ISR) 3. CHO, Guham (KOR) 5. KUMRIC, Zlatko (CRO) 5. BILALOV, Niiaz (RUS) 7. IDDIR, Alexandre (FRA) 7. KOTSOIEV, Zelym (AZE)
+100kg: KIM rejoins the world’s heavyweight elite Asian Games gold medallist KIM Sungmin (KOR) conquered Olympic silver medallist HARASAWA Hisayoshi (JPN) by ippon with an o-soto-gari to win gold in the last contest of the 2019 Paris Grand Slam. KIM has toiled of late and had been surpassed by a new generation of heavyweights but showed he can still mix it with the best and renewed his place among the sport’s top heavyweights.
In the first semi-final Tel Aviv Grand Prix winner Or SASSON (ISR) was thrown for a waza-ari by KIM who pinned down the Israeli to power into the final.
In the second semi-final Osaka Grand Slam winner Henk GROL (NED) v Olympic silver medallist HARASAWA Hisayoshi (JPN)
The first bronze medal was won by 2018 Paris champion KAGEURA Kokoro (JPN) who used his lethal ashi-waza to catch GROL for ippon.
The second and last bronze medal contest saw world silver medallist Ushangi KOKAURI (AZE) topple SASSON by ippon.
Final HARASAWA, Hisayoshi (JPN) vs KIM, Sungmin (KOR)
Bronze Medal Fights GROL, Henk (NED) vs KAGEURA, Kokoro (JPN)
SASSON, Or (ISR) vs KOKAURI, Ushangi (AZE)
Final Results 1. KIM, Sungmin (KOR) 2. HARASAWA, Hisayoshi (JPN) 3. KAGEURA, Kokoro (JPN) 3. KOKAURI, Ushangi (AZE) 5. GROL, Henk (NED) 5. SASSON, Or (ISR) 7. KHAMMO, Yakiv (UKR) 7. HEINLE, Sven (GER)