At -48 kg Mongolia placed two women in medal contests, one a cadet and the other a veteran of the World Judo Tour, Narantsetseg Ganbaatar. Misheel Altanshagai (MGL) is making her international debut here, yes, at a grand slam! Her next outing is already listed and it will be the World Cadet Championships in Sofia next month. What an introduction to judo’s elite arenas!
Altanshagai took out 8-time senior world championship competitor Giliazova (IJF), the number one seed, on her way to the semi-final, which she then lost to 2017 cadet world champion Vorobeva (IJF). Vorobeva had eliminated another young Mongolian hopeful, Anudari Jamsran in the quarter-final.
Despite the home team making their charge, exciting the spectators throughout the morning session, it was Mitsuki Kondo (JPN) who really shone. The twenty year old won the Paris Grand Slam this year and took gold at the Upper Austria Grand Prix last year. She may not compete often but she certainly competes well. She won each of her contests by ippon, including an immovable pin against Ganbaatar.
Final
Marina Vorobeva (IJF) vs Mitsuki Kondo (JPN)
Bronze medal contests
Sabina Giliazova (IJF) vs Narantsetseg Ganbaatar (MGL)
Sarh Ischt (GER) vs Misheel Altanshagai (MGL)
At -52 kg two of Mongolia’s national team judoka bought tickets to the final block. Uranzaya Bayanmunkh has no reference on the World Judo Tour despite 8 previous appearances. Could today be her day to reach the podium? She began perfectly, throwing 3-time grand slam winner Blandine Pont (FRA) for a decisive yuko on the bell before throwing Borisova (IJF) with an unexpectedly confident ko-soto-gake for ippon to reach the semi-final.
Nandin-Erdine Myagmarsuren, just nineteen years old, used seoi-otoshi and o-uchi-gari attacks to win her early contests, booking her place in the semi-final stage. There she met 11-time grand slam medallist Astride Gneto and it should have been ‘game over’ for the Mongolian, but she has real gumption, a resourcefulness that keeps her robust even when under pressure. Myagmarsuren won this very close contest on penalties and almost bounced off the tatami with happiness.
Bayanmunkh’s semi-final was not as successful as that of her teammate. She was countered for ippon in just ten seconds by current Asian champion Kokoro Fujishiro (JPN). The Japanese competitor had arrived as the top ranked athlete and she held both her nerve and her ranking all the way to the final. Could she take one last step in the final block?
Final
Kokoro Fujishiro (JPN) vs Nandin-Erdine Myagmarsuren (MGL)
Bronze medal contests
Glafira Borisova (IJF) vs Astride Gneto (FRA)
Yuhong Yao (CHN) vs Uranzaya Bayanmunkh (MGL)
The last category of the day was the women’s -57 kg group, led by Megumi Fuchida of Japan. Like her teammate Fujishiro, she is the current Asian champion in the weight and she intended to repeat the process Fujishiro had executed so well on the tatami next door. However, Kseniia Galitskaia (IJF) was on blistering form!
On the top half of the draw, Galitskaia threw Undral Gan (MGL) for ippon with makikomi, threw Aleksandra Kan (TJK) with o-soto-gari and held her down to complete the victory, and then, in the semi-final, Fuchida was also dispatched, a sumi-gaeshi authoring her downfall.
On the bottom half of the draw, Salonen (FIN), the second seed, and Lkhagvasuren (MGL) met in the quarter-finals. The Finnish fighter just couldn’t find her rhythm and had to allow Lkhagvasuren to pass and move into the semi-final. She did rectify her situation though, managing Jia Zhou (CHN) well in the repechage to book her place in the final block.
Ana Viktorija Puljiz (CRO) was also on good form on day 1. She won her first contest by submission, her second with a powerful o-uchi-gari and her semi-final, against Lkhagvasuren with a massive makikomi which sent the Mongolian flying into the bronze medal contest.
Final
Kseniia Galitskaia (IJF) vs Ana Viktorija Puliz (CRO)
Bronze medal contests
Nomintuya Enkhbaatar (MGL) vs Sosorbaram Lkhagvasuren (MGL)
Pihla Salonen (FIN) vs Megumi Fuchida (JPN)