Lara Cvjetko beats Aina Laura Rasoanaivo Razafy (Photo by Emanuele Di Feliciantonio/IJF)
The women’s -70 kg category offered the most expected confirmation and the biggest surprise of the day at the Qingdao Grand Prix judo championships,when Croatian Lara Cvjetko and Aina Laura Rasoanaivo Razafy of Madagascar stepped into the arena to compete for gold in the final block.
Razafy had no crisis of confidence going up against an experienced world medallist. She battled hard, attacking strongly but it wasn’t enough. Although Cvetko didn’t log a score, she controlled everything well and avoided all possible mistakes to eventually clinch the gold.
Razafy’s silver medal marks Madagascar’s first ever World Judo Tour medal. It is an outstanding achievement underpinned by a great deal of hard work that broke barriers for her nation.
In the women’s -63kg final, Frenchman Manon Deketer and Mongolian Enkhriilen Lkhagvatogoo both arrived with no intention of losing. Two persistent athletes with the will to overcome any challenge. However, there has to be a loser, just one gold medal is up for grabs it was assigned to Manon Deketer. A yuko from a counter in golden score was her signature, accepting her title. She arrived and departed as the number one!
Number 1 seed Shakhram Ahadov of Uzbekistan faced Japan’s Yudai Tanaka for the gold medal in the men’s -73kg. An incredible kumi-kata conflict ensued, each judoka unwilling to accept anything resembling a first choice from the other.
The power and pace of the gripping was a sight to behold but with 42 seconds to go, Tanaka decided he didn’t want to play that game any more and he slammed a heavy top grip over Ahadov’s shoulder and ploughed through him with a precise and unyielding o-uchi-gari. Ippon was the only possible reward!
Japan’s Yoshito Hojo and China’s Cha Xinglong fought against the odds to reach the final of the men’s -81kg, neither among the highest ranked of the category.
Hojo’s technical range and ability to throw no matter the rhythm or pace of a contest is becoming more and more well known. Cha was thrown with two de-ashi-harai attacks for yuko scores, an uchi-mata for waza-ari and finally seoi-otoshi to complete the task.
Final Results
Men’s -73 kg: 1. TANAKA Yudai (JPN); 2. AHADOV Shakhram (UZB); 3. TOKTAY Ejder (TUR); 3. ZILFIKAROV Shamil (IJF); 5. NAGUCHEV Kazbek (UAE); 5. MASUDI Ahmadzod (TJK); 7. BARYS Kuan (KAZ); 7. YONEZUKA Jack (USA)
Men’s -81 kg: 1. HOJO Yoshito (JPN); 2. CHA Xinglong (CHN); 3. GERBEKOV Askerbii (BRN); 3. ALBAYRAK Vedat (TUR); 5. OMAROV Gadzhimurad (UAE); 5. ALMAT Adilet (KAZ); 7. MAKHMADBEKOV Somon (TJK); 7. LEE Junseong (KOR)
Women’s -63kg: 1. DEKETER Manon (FRA); 2. LKHAGVATOGOO Enkhriilen (MGL); 3. KIM Ji Hye (PRK); 3. SZYMANSKA Angelika (POL); 5. LI Jun (CHN); 5. KAJZER Kaja (SLO); 7. SIMIC Nina (CRO); 7. KROPSKA Natalia (POL)
Women’s -70 kg: 1. CVJETKO Lara (CRO); 2. RASOANAIVO RAZAFY Aina Laura (MAD); 3. FENG Yingying (CHN); 3. AUCHECORNE Melkia (FRA); 5. SCHUSTER Kaja (SLO); 5. TERADA Utana (JPN); 7. LIU Lu (CHN); 7. PETERSEN POLLARD Kelly (GBR)
