Umar Bozorov (UZB), winner in Georgia earlier this year, stood at the top of the draw, not by a lot but ranking is ranking. Interestingly, despite the lack of a clear prediction, Bozorov chose to hold his advantage and blasted through the morning session, throwing Tserendulam (MGL) for ippon with a massive o-goshi from a yuko behind, winning on penalties against Visan (ROU), and coming from behind again against Edilsultanov (IJF) but throwing and holding for two waza-ari scores. It was a great set of results.
On the bottom half of the draw, it was Suleimanov (UAE) who should have held court but he was gazumped by Israpil Sagaipov (BRN) who went on to reach the semi-final. There he lost to Riku Okada but in a very close, very strange shido battle. Okada picked up two that were both cancelled and then Sagaipov conceded three in a row.
Final
Umar Bozorov (UZB) vs Riku Okada (JPN)
Bronze medal contests
Yermakhan Anuarbekov (KAZ) vs Israpil Sagaipov (BRN)
Umedjpn Rajabov (TJK) vs Ikhan Edilsultanov (IJF)
In the -100 kg category one name stood out even though he wasn’t the number one seed: Nikoloz Sherazadishvili (ESP). He has been gradually treading down the long grass ahead of him at -100 kg, having moved up a couple of years ago with two -90 kg world titles in his pocket. He kicked off his day perfectly, throwing Altanzaya (MGL) with a one-handed chi-mata for a yuko and then holding him down for ippon. Against Bifov (IJF) the win was earned by only a yuko but it was sufficient to step him up into the semi-final.
In the semi-final he met a powerful Hungarian, Zsombor Veg, who threw him for a yuko after just a minute and then protected it expertly for 3 more. Sherazadishvili was good but not good enough and so made it into the final block without a chance of winning the gold.
On the top half of the draw, number one seed Anton Savitskiy (UKR) was dominant until the semi-final. There Said Sadrudinov (BRN) gave him a really hard time, almost knocking him out of the running. Sadrudinov scored a first waza-ari and then a second to finish the contest but the latter was reviewed and changed to a yuko. He then threw for an another yuko. Savitskiy was in the unusual position of being behind by three scores but he somehow stayed patient, he and his coach communicating to change the strategy. It worked and a massive ko-soto-gake earned him the ippon he needed.
Final
Anton Savitskiy (UKR) vs Zsombor Veg (HUN)
Bronze medal contests
Karl Baathe (SWE) vs Nikoloz Sherazadishvili (ESP)
Idar Bifov (IJF) vs Said Sadrudinov (BRN)
Would the heavyweight men’s category give the home nation a new medal on the last day of competition? Unseeded Gantulga, 5th seed Odkhuu, 8th seed Usukhbayar and 4th seed Batkhuyag were the judoka tasked with trying.
Two of them went out early but Odkhuu, after being beaten by his teammate in the quarter-final, placed 7th. Batkhuyag was therefore the last remaining Mongolian of the group. He had an incredible semi-final, throwing Daigo Kagawa for ippon with uchi-mata after two minutes of contest time. It was massive and the spectators loved it! Mongolia would have a medal from the last category of the day, a great way to close their home tournament.
The final would see Batkhuyag face Zolotukhin (IJF) after he threw Teresinski (POL) in their semi-final with a stunning o-uchi-gari right on the bell of an otherwise scoreless contest.
Final
Gonchigsuren Batkhuyag (MGL) vs Artem Zolotukhin (IJF)
Bronze medal contests
Denis Batches (IJF) vs Utkirbek Turoboyev (UZB)
Grzegorz Teresiński (POL) vs Daigo Kagawa (JPN)