Balci, the current European cadet champion has reached the podium at her last 5 outings and is now certain of doing the same in Guayaquil. This is consistency illustrated.
Final: Hatice Tuana Balci (TUR) vs Anna Zheleva (RUS)
Despite Balci's record, Anna Zheleva was the first to score in this contest, a waza-ari earned via an excellently timed ko-soto-gake. Balci looked shaken; she is not thrown often by anyone!
Hatice Tuana Balci out-gripped and out-attacked Zheleva for the rest of the contest but couldn’t convert her work into a winning score, no matter how hard she tried. The title belonged to Anna Zheleva.
Anna Zheleva commented as she left the tatami, “I’m proud of myself above all, though this victory is largely thanks to my coaches. Now, right after the match, I just feel a rush of mixed emotions, so it's hard to put everything into words. We didn't prepare any special tactics against my opponent's height. It was the same strategy as always: focus on controlling the grips and just see where the contest goes. Whoever throws, throws!”
Bronze medal contest: Maelyne Wandji (FRA) vs Astan Sacko (FRA)
In an all-French medal contest, which happens at the senior level among the heavyweight women often, it was an attack from Maelyne Wandji which initiated the winning technique. An osoto-gaeshi from Astan Sacko scored waza-ari and put her well into the lead, a lead which Wandji could not catch.
Bronze medal contest: Ya-Wei I Ssu (TPE) vs Kanon Okada (JPN)
Kanon Okada made light work of her semi-final, turning Ya-Wei I Ssu over and holding her for ippon after not much time had passed. She left the tatami wit ha satisfied smile on her face.
Final (+70 kg)
Bronze Medal Fights (+70 kg)
Final Results (+70 kg)
