-63 kg: Patience and Focus Were Watanabe’s Recipe for Gold

Final: Laura Vazquez Fernandez (ESP) vs Seiko Watanabe (JPN)

In an incredibly close final, Vazquez Fernandez and Watanabe pushed each other’s limits all the way to the final minute. Each forced minor mistakes from the other and neither could break through the other’s defences to find their way to a score. Any lapse in focus would be catastrophic for one of these judoka and as the last minute arrived it was the Spanish judoka who gave up her position. Watanabe capitalised with an osoto-gari that earned a decisive yuko and as the gong sounded this yuko was converted into a Grand Prix bronze medal.

After the final, Seiko Watanabe said, “I am thrilled to win my first gold medal here in Lima after taking second and third places at previous international events. I came into this tournament determined to win, specifically honing my ashi-waza and ne-waza in preparation. Having trained with Vasquez at a camp in Spain, I knew she was a strong opponent, but I stayed focused on executing my own judo. The support from the local fans in Peru and those who travelled from Japan meant everything to me.”

Bronze medal contest: Anriquelis Barrios (VEN) vs Ariela Sanchez Benitez (ESP)

Dynamic and unpredictable, this contest began at a pace, plenty of movement and opportunity created by both athletes. A counter from Sanchez Benitez put the first score on the board but no result was sealed and there were still 3 minutes to go.

A minute and a half passed without headline but in the next moment Barrios caught her rival with an osoto-gari that equalised the contest, they began again with a yuko apiece. Barrios then doubled down scoring again but this time with a makikomi. This was the final straw marking defeat for the Spanish entrant. Venezuela was now on the medal table.

Bronze medal contest: Laurence Biron (CAN) vs Rafaela Silva (BRA)

In the middle of the semi-final between Rafaela Silva and Laura Vazquez Fernandez (ESP), Silva applied an armlock during a throwing action and was duly disqualified. Therefore she was unable to continue in the final block and so the bronze medal was assigned to Laurence Biron of Canada.