The first day of this year’s Qingdao Grand Prix in China, took place with the first five gold medals up for grabs as well as precious points towards
ADVERTISEMENTThe first day of this year’s Qingdao Grand Prix in China, took place with the first five gold medals up for grabs as well as precious points towards Rio 2016 Olympic qualification.
In the women’s -48kg category Junior World Champion and World tour newcomer Funa Tonaki stunned current World Number One Urantsetseg Munkhbat of Mongolia.
Tonaki scored a waza-ari, with a ko-soto-gari before doubling her lead with a ko-uchi-gari, almost in the last second en route to her first medal on the senior international circuit.
Another representative of the Japanese judo contingent was celebrating gold later on as Yuka Nishida downed Gulbadam Babamuratova of Turkmenistan to win the under 52 kilo title.
The 2012 World Judo Masters champion sealed the shiniest of medals in the class courtesy of a kneeling shoulder drop for ippon.
After Munkhbat’s under 48 kilo silver medal Mongolia were celebrating gold later in the under 57 kilo category.
Sumiya Dorjsuren confirmed her status as world number one after she beat veteran German judoka Miryam Roper – immobilizing her opponent for ippon and the title.
In a tight affair for the under 60 kilo gold Azerbaijan’s Ilgar Mushkiyev edged past Dutch judoka Jeroen Mooren to hit top spot of the podium.
Mushkiyev – ranked one place lower than his opponent at 27 in the world – enjoyed a late a yuko half point which proved enough to secure victory.
And finally, the men’s -66kg final pitted the top two seeds in Tumurkhuleg Davaadorj of Mongolia and Nijat Shikhalizada of Azerbaijan.
Shikhalizada struck gold in spectacular fashion courtesy of a counter attacking aerial rear throw known as an ura-nage.