Uzbekistan and Japan Finish IJF Tashkent Grand Slam With a Flourish

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Hosts Uzbekistan claimed two gold medals on the final day of the International Judo Federation Grand Slam in Tashkent as Japan added two more titles to top the medal standings.

Davlat Bobonov and Alisher Yusupov delighted the Yunusobod Sport Complex crowd when they both struck gold, adding to the success of Murodjon Yuldoshev yesterday.

Reigning world champion Bobonov proved too strong for Japan’s Sanshiro Murao who picked up three shidos to lose the men’s under-90 kilogram final.

The bronze medals went to Hungary’s Krisztián Tóth and Brazil’s Giovani Ferreira.

The venue was packed with spectators who enjoyed another Uzbekistan gold on a thrilling final day in Tashkent.

Japan’s Tatsuru Saito was the challenger for Alisher Yusupov in the men’s over-100kg gold-medal clash.

Saito launched an uchi-mata only for Yusupov to produce a brilliant counter-attack with a yoko-guruma for waza-ari to the joy of the home fans.

Yusupov continued to pose Saito problems before pinning his Japanese opponent to the ground for an ippon, leading to jubilant scenes.

Cuba’s Andy Granda and Georgia’s Gela Zaalishvili secured the remaining places on the podium after winning their respective bronze-medal bouts.

Bobonov and Yusupov may have defeated Japanese opposition in the final but Japan still managed to add two further gold medals to their tally.

Rika Takayama secured the first of those for Japan when she saw off Giorgia Stangherlin of Italy to claim the women’s under-78kg title.

The Italian was forced to submit when Takayama overpowered her on the ground with a ude-garami.

China’s Ma Zhenzhao and Portugal’s Patricia Sampaio were the bronze medallists.

The women’s over-78kg final was a closer affair with Xu Shiyan of China forcing Wakaba Tomita of Japan into added time.

Xu picked up two penalties before going into the golden score period where she was penalised again as Tomita turned the screw.

The title sealed Japan’s place at the top of the medal table with four golds, three silvers and two bronzes.

Su Xin of China claimed bronze along with Hilal Öztürk of Turkey.

Georgia also celebrated gold-medal joy when Varlam Liparteliani overcame Austria’s Aaron Fara in the men’s under-100kg final.

Liparteliani pulled off a stunning move, driving Fara to the ground with a kata-guruma before pinning him down for ippon.

Dzhafar Kostoev sealed a bronze medal for the United Arab Emirates, joining Japan’s Kotaro Ueoka on the podium.

Source : IG