Final: Adriana Rodriguez Salvador (ESP) vs Pihla Salonen (FIN)
In this all-European final, there looked to be nothing between the competitors at all, at least for the first two minutes. However, a perfectly placed kata-guruma with a devastating spinning action caught Rodriguez Salvador completely off guard. It was ippon and a first grand prix gold for the Finnish athlete.
Salonen was delighted to win her first World Judo Tour gold medal, “Winning gold is always the goal. I think everyone comes here to win, no-one aims for silver or bronze. When I looked at the draw, it wouldn’t have mattered if I had a world champion in my first fight; I always believe that I have a chance and can go home with a medal.”
Bronze medal contest: Veronica Toniolo (ITA) vs Merica Perisic (SRB)
This was a close contest with both competitors struggling to find their best techniques. An unnatural rhythm took hold, making it difficult for either judoka to break through the defences of the other in any signifiant way. With 90 seconds left on the clock, an unconvincing seoi-otoshi offered Perisic a breather; a yuko was scored and it was enough.
Bronze medal contest: Acelya Toprak (GBR) vs Jessica Lima (BRA)
Power and full engagement marked this medal match. Toprak’s aggressive style occasionally put her at risk of being thrown by Lima’s fast seoi-otoshi but the Brit was expecting that and adjusted accordingly. By the halfway point it was entirely even, a shido apiece. Not long later though, Lima used a ko-soto-gake to counter an attack from Toprak and that was simply too much to get past with just 45 seconds left on the clock. The medal was added to Brazil’s tally.
Final (-57 kg)
Bronze Medal Fights (-57 kg)
Final Results (-57 kg)
