The -57 kg final of the Park24 Group Tokyo Grand Slam was fast paced but also carefully considered. Neither wished to give the other an opening and both wanted to show their best judo; it was an inevitably close contest. In the end, Omori took the victory and the gold, attacking more cleanly than Tamaoki, penalties deciding it.
The bronze medal contests featured Eteri Liparteliani (GEO) and Sarah-Leonie Cysique (FRA) on mat 2 and Irina Zueva (RUS) fighting Mio Shirakane (JPN) on mat 3.
On tatami 2, Liparteliani aimed to dominate the gripping and the distance but Cysique is experienced and controlled the gripping well. She almost footswept the Georgian judoka but once recovered, Liparteliani seemed renewed and in an unpredictable exchange she caught an awkward grip and threw Cysique with obi-tori-gaeshi for a waza-ari. Cysique didn’t let that destroy her focus and pressured her opponent hard, almost scoring with a clever sasae-tsuri-komi-ashi but the time ticked away and so did her medal chance. Liparteliani had another grand slam medal to add to her ever-growing collection.
In the other bronze medal contest, Shirakane was in control from the outset, leading the pace, the rhythm and the style. She never looked at risk and with 90 seconds remaining she secured an unbreakable osaekomi which she held for the full 20 seconds. Shirakane now has a Tokyo Grand Slam medal to add to her junior world title from just a few weeks ago.
Final (-57 kg)
Bronze Medal Fights (-57 kg)
Final Results (-57 kg)
