Golden days for the French judoka at the Grand Prix in Zagreb

Golden days for the French judoka at the Grand Prix in Zagreb
By Christopher Cummins  with Agencies

First day of competition from the Judo Grand Prix in Zagreb saw five finals.

First day of competition from the Judo Grand Prix in Zagreb saw five finals.

France claimed gold in the women’s -57 kg where Lola Benarroche outsmarted the Russia Daria Mezhetckaia in the final, the fight went the distance with the Frenchwomen winning by 2 yuko and a penalty point.

The -52 kg crown was won by Poland’s Karolina Pienkowska she defeated the Kosovan Distria Krasniqi
by one yuko and two penalty points.

Her previous best was third place in this years Budapest Grand Prix.

In the -48 kg class Serbia’s Milica Nikolic took her first Grand Prix win by beating the favourite Israels Noa Minsker the Serb pulled off an ippon 1.20 seconds into the bout.

In the men’s -65 kg category the years Prague European Open winner Slovenia’s Andraz Jereb had to go the distance against Israel’s Baruch Shmailov.

The Slovenian won by yuko and one penalty point.

In the -60 kg final the French judoka Vincent Manquest took on the Russian Robert Mshvidobadze
and claimed his first Grand Prix victory with ippon in just over a minute. Two golds for the French in Zagreb.

Action of the day goes to the bronze medal winner Israel’s Tal Flicker who leashed an o-goshi to defeat the Moldovan Denis Vieru.

World tour debutant Kosovan Fjolla Kelmendi claimed bronze in the women’s -48kg defeating Russia’s Anastasia Pavlenko with an ippon.

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