Final: Maria Celia Laborde (USA) vs Assunta Scutto (ITA)
A high level contest between two highly experienced judoka is exactly what the spectators inside the Videna Arena were hoping for and they had their wish come true. Laborde and Scutto played a kind of judo chess, knowing each other’s gripping and favourite techniques well. At first they cancelled each other out but as the last minute arrived, Scutto took her chance in ne-waza and pinned Laborde for ippon.
Despite an array of impressive medals, this is Assunta Scott’s first Grand Prix gold, arriving after a challenging year and illustrating a return to top form.
After tine final she said, “I feel very good and emotional. This was my first competition back after surgery, so I’m so happy to win this gold medal. The final was tough because my opponent was very strong but I stayed calm and focused on my strategy. My main goal now is to do even better at the Lausanne Grand Slam, after a training camp in Valencia, and build toward the World Championships in Baku.”
Bronze medal contest: Gabriela Narvaez (PAR) vs Catarina Costa (POR)
Gabriela Narvaez is approaching the end of her career but the results are getting strong. The 31-year-old surprised many when she placed 7th at the Paris Olympic Games having never appeared in a World Judo Tour final block. Well, in Lima she overturned that fact and made it to a bronze medal contest for the first time.
Catarina Costa, a World Judo Masters medallist and 8 times a grand slam medallist, would be formidable opposition but that did not deter the Paraguayan from arriving with an attacking attitude. The first attack came from her and at full time there was no score to separate them. In golden score though, Costa finally connected with her experience and forced a kata-guruma to work. She threw Narvaez for ippon and the athletes shared a positive moment with each other on the tatami.
Bronze medal contest: Sarah Ischt (GER) vs Clarice Ribeiro (BRA)
Three-time cadet world champion Clarice Ribeiro is finding her senior rhythm despite still being a teenager. Clear thinking and a broad range of skills carried her to this first final block in Lima to meet Sarah Ischt. Both athletes were fighting for their first World Judo Tour medal.
This was a close contest, both athletes making clever decisions and almost no rule infringements. In the end the medal would travel back to Europe, to Germany, thanks to a yoko-shiho-gatame in the last 30 seconds of normal time. Sarah Ischt was overjoyed, a broad smile spreading across her face.
Final (-48 kg)
Bronze Medal Fights (-48 kg)
