FINAL RESULTS: WOMEN
-78kg: Four-time Grand Slam winner upsets world champion for first Grand Prix title
Düsseldorf Grand Slam winner SATO Ruika (JPN) topped a Grand Prix medal podium for the first time with a win over world champion Mayra AGUIAR (BRA) in the -78kg final. SATO is a four-time Grand Slam winner and at the seventh attempt made her breakthrough on the Grand Prix stage. SATO broke the deadlock with an osoto-gari which earned a waza-ari and then held down her foe with a kesa-gatame for an important win which installs her as Japan’s number one judoka at -78kg.
In the first semi-final AGUIAR defeated four-time Grand Prix medallist Sama Hawa CAMARA (FRA) by ippon to book a place in the final. In the second semi-final former Pan American Championships winner Samanta SOARES (BRA) fell to SATO by ippon having been penalised three times. The first bronze medal contest was won by SOARES who secured her first Grand Prix medal with an impressive win over former Tokyo Grand Slam silver medallist PARK Yujin (KOR). Brazil’s SOARES threw her opponent with a tai-otoshi for a waza-ari score whuich was the only time the scoreboard was called upon. The second bronze medal was won by world number 24 CAMARA who scored twice against World Judo Masters bronze medallist Karen STEVENSON (NED) without reply. France’s CAMARA took the lead with a osoto-makikomi for a waza-ari and then settled it by ippon with the same technique.
Final AGUIAR, Mayra (BRA) vs SATO, Ruika (JPN)
Bronze Medal Fights PARK, Yujin (KOR) vs SOARES, Samanta (BRA) CAMARA, Sama Hawa (FRA) vs STEVENSON, Karen (NED)
Final Results
1. SATO, Ruika (JPN) 2. AGUIAR, Mayra (BRA) 3. SOARES, Samanta (BRA) 3. CAMARA, Sama Hawa (FRA) 5. PARK, Yujin (KOR) 5. STEVENSON, Karen (NED) 7. MA, Zhenzhao (CHN) 7. RAMIREZ, Yahima (POR)
+78kg: Teenager SONE secures first IJF World Judo Tour title All Japan Openweight Championships winner SONE Akira (JPN) ruled the women’s heavyweight category in Hohhot with a comprehensive win over Paris Grand Slam winner KIM Minjeong (KOR). SONE, 17, caught KIM with an ouchi-gari for a waza-ari score with one minute left on the clock and added a second by osaekomi to earn Japan’s seventh gold medal at the first qualifier for their home Olympics.
In the first semi-final Tbilisi Grand Prix bronze medallist Anne Fatoumata M BAIRO (FRA) lost out in-form KIM who won by ippon from a seoi-nage. In the second semi-final WANG Yan (CHN) was held down by SONE Akira (JPN) for ippon. The first bronze medal was awarded to WANG who defeated 2017 Hohhot Grand Prix winner HAN Mi Jin (KOR) by a waza-ari score from an osoto-makikomi to win her country’s second medal at home in Hohhot. The second bronze medal was won by two-time world silver medallist Maria Suelen ALTHEMAN (BRA) who bested M BAIRO after just 34 seconds. Brazil’s ALTHEMAN opened the scoring with a harai-makikomi and held down her opponent to added a second and match-winning waza-ari.
Final SONE, Akira (JPN) vs KIM, Minjeong (KOR)
Bronze Medal Fights WANG, Yan (CHN) vs HAN, Mi Jin (KOR) M BAIRO, Anne Fatoumata (FRA) vs ALTHEMAN, Maria Suelen (BRA)
Final Results
1. SONE, Akira (JPN) 2. KIM, Minjeong (KOR) 3. WANG, Yan (CHN) 3. ALTHEMAN, Maria Suelen (BRA) 5. HAN, Mi Jin (KOR) 5. M BAIRO, Anne Fatoumata (FRA) 7. JIANG, Yanan (CHN) 7. LI, Jiaqi (CHN)
FINAL RESULTS: MEN -90kg: Fourth Grand Prix gold for former world champion GWAK
Former world champion GWAK Donghan (KOR) helped to send his country to second place in the medal table by outfighting Ekaterinburg Grand Slam bronze medallist GANTULGA Altanbagana (MGL). Olympic bronze medallist GWAK was the favourite against the 2017 Antalya Grand Prix winner from Mongolia and lived up to his billing as he forced GANTULGA to make three infringements in the final.
In the first semi-final Olympic champion BAKER Mashu (JPN) could not come out to face GANTULGA due to sustaining a back injury. In the second semi-final GWAK saw off the challlenge of The Hague Grand Prix bronze medallist Jesper SMINK (NED) who received three shidos for hansoku-make. The first bronze medal was won by SMINK who won his second Grand Prix medal with the scalp of world champion Nemanja MAJDOV (SRB). After six minutes of golden score the Dutch judoka was awarded the contest as Serbian’s Worlds winner was penalised for the third and final time.
The second bronze medal went to European Championships bronze medallist Theodoros TSELIDIS (GRE) as BAKER had already pulled out of the competition.
Final GWAK, Donghan (KOR) vs GANTULGA, Altanbagana (MGL)
Bronze Medal Fights SMINK, Jesper (NED) vs MAJDOV, Nemanja (SRB) BAKER, Mashu (JPN) vs TSELIDIS, Theodoros (GRE)
Final Results
1. GWAK, Donghan (KOR) 2. GANTULGA, Altanbagana (MGL) 3. SMINK, Jesper (NED) 3. TSELIDIS, Theodoros (GRE) 5. MAJDOV, Nemanja (SRB) 5. BAKER, Mashu (JPN) 7. TEJENOV, Tejen (TKM) 7. BROWN, Colton (USA)
-100kg: South Korea’s CHO builds momentum towards the World ChampionshipsTokyo Grand Slam winner CHO Guham (KOR) showed his World Championships title ambitions as he swept through a world-class field to finally defeat The Hague Grand Prix winner Kazbek ZANKISHIEV (RUS) in the -100kg final. Both judoka were fighting for a third Grand Prix gold medal and it was the South Korean who reigned supreme to become one of the leading contenders for World gold in Baku this year. Former heavyweight CHO, who moved down a category in 2014, threw ZANKISHIEV in golden score ippon seoi-nage for the maximum score and gold in Inner Mongolia.
In the first semi-final world number 46 Grigori MINASKIN (EST) was second best against CHO as he fell by a waza-ari score which was the only score of the contest. In the second semi-final ZANKISHIEV bested Tashkent Grand Prix winner Ramadan DARWISH (EGY) by a waza-ari to advance the gold medal contest in the final block. The first bronze medal was won by two-time world silver medallist at the weight below NISHIYAMA Daiki (JPN) who outworked DARWISH. In the closing seconds the Egyptian, who was behind to a waza-ari score, was penalised for the third time in a below-par performance.
The second bronze medal went to the Hague Grand Prix silver medallist Joakim DVARBY (SWE) who held down MINASKIN for ippon.
Final ZANKISHIEV, Kazbek (RUS) vs CHO, Guham (KOR)
Bronze Medal Fights DARWISH, Ramadan (EGY) vs NISHIYAMA, Daiki (JPN) MINASKIN, Grigori (EST) vs DVARBY, Joakim (SWE)
Final Results
1. CHO, Guham (KOR) 2. ZANKISHIEV, Kazbek (RUS) 3. NISHIYAMA, Daiki (JPN) 3. DVARBY, Joakim (SWE) 5. DARWISH, Ramadan (EGY) 5. MINASKIN, Grigori (EST) 7. BUZACARINI, Rafael (BRA) 7. HWANG, Min-Ho (KOR)
+100kg: NAIDAN brings the house down with dream ending to judo’s first Tokyo 2020 Olympic qualifier
Mongolian legend and world bronze medallist NAIDAN Tuvshinbayar (MGL) won his first IJF gold medal since 2015 as he rolled back the years with a vintage display to once again prolong his career as an elite judoka. Former Junior World Championships winner ULZIIBAYAR Duurenbayar (MGL) opposed his country’s first ever Olympic champion, a man he idolised growing up, and the elder statesmen beat his hear apparent. NAIDAN last won an IJF World Judo Tour title in 2015 when he won in Qingdao and won his third Grand Prix gold by throwing ULZIIBAYAR with an ippon seoi-nage for gold.
In the first semi-final NAIDAN threw Tashkent Grand Prix bronze medallist OLTIBOEV Bekmurod (UZB) with a ura-nage for ippon to move into the heavyweight final. In the second semi-final double Olympic bronze medallist Rafael SILVA (BRA) was disqualified for three shidos against ULZIIBAYAR Duurenbayar (MGL). The first bronze medal was won by SILVA who overpowered Antalya and Tbilisi silver medallist Javad MAHJOUB (IRI) in added time to pin down the Iranian judoka for ippon. The second bronze medal went to OLTIBOEV who defeated The Hague Grand Prix winner Roy MEYER (NED) by ippon. Uzbekistan’s first medal in Hohhot came in the penultimate contest of the Hohhot Grand Prix 2018 as Asian nations proved to be dominant on the final day.
Final ULZIIBAYAR, Duurenbayar (MGL) vs NAIDAN, Tuvshinbayar (MGL)
Bronze Medal Fights SILVA, Rafael (BRA) vs MAHJOUB, Javad (IRI) OLTIBOEV, Bekmurod (UZB) vs MEYER, Roy (NED)
Final Results
1. NAIDAN, Tuvshinbayar (MGL) 2. ULZIIBAYAR, Duurenbayar (MGL) 3. SILVA, Rafael (BRA) 3. OLTIBOEV, Bekmurod (UZB) 5. MAHJOUB, Javad (IRI) 5. MEYER, Roy (NED) 7. KRAKOVETSKII, Iurii (KGZ) 7. KIM, Sungmin (KOR)