The thrills and spills continue in Abu Dhabi where the women’s -78kg class saw the world number six win a battle of former world champions, the
ADVERTISEMENTThe thrills and spills continue in Abu Dhabi where the women’s -78kg class saw the world number six win a battle of former world champions, the Netherlands Marhinde Verkerk beating the London 2012 bronze medallist Mayra Aguiar from Brazil.
In the over 78kg class Tyumen Grand Slam winner Ma Sisi from China defeated another Dutchwoman, Tessie Savelkouls to win the heavyweight gold. Ma picked up a passivity penalty, but Savelkouls was also penalised for a false attack during the bout.
In the men’s competition there was confirmation of the talent of Mongolian 22-year-old -Lkhagvasuren Otgonbaatar, the world number 13 winning his first Grand Slam gold medal to move towards the summit of the -90kg category. He beat the World Judo Masters bronze medallist Noel Van T End on his return to action from injury.
In the -100kg category it was Russia’s Olympic champion Tagir Khaibulaev who won his first Grand Slam title by beating the Czech former world champion Lukas Krpalek.
Finally in the over 100kg class it was South Korea’s Kim Sung Min who won his country’s fourth gold in three days by downing Ukraine’s world championship bronze medallist Lakiv Khammo.