Ivaylo Ivanov of Bulgaria takes the win
Ivaylo Ivanov of Bulgaria clinched his fifth Grand Prix title, overcoming Georgian Luka Maisuradze on the final day of the Zagreb Grand Prix in the men’s -90 kg category.
Maisuradze may have been world champion but it was Ivanov, who had a a great record at grand prix level.
Maisuradze attacked in ways that allow almost no-one to escape but an intelligent and focused Ivanov was able to, fighting excellently on the grip to impose his own attacks often.
At full time there was a shido apiece on the board and so the golden score period was necessary. Only 20 seconds in, Ivanov dropped underneath the Georgian and targeted a tomoe-nage just well enough to catch a yuko, which was enough to win the -90 kg title.
Meanwhile, the -100 kg category final was fought fiercely, all the power and skill expected of Nikoloz Sherazadishvili of Spain and Oleksii Yershov of Ukraine.
Sherazadishvili, always patient, set the grips and set them again until he had them exactly right and then went for the seoi-otoshi, an unusual choice for one of the tall men of judo.
It scored a yuko, one he would work hard to protect and claim the gold.
In the +100 kg final, Kanan Nasibov of Azerbaijan and Jur Spijkers of the Netherland’s were both committed to winning the biggest prize of the day but of course only one could win.
Spijkers appeared to be more active initially but an o-uchi-gari attack cost him dearly, Nasibov winning with a massive o-uchi-gaeshi.
The first women’s category of the day was dominated by Yelyzaveta Lytvynenko of the UAE, notching up 8 positive scores before reaching the final block of the -78kg.
At 21 years old, she is already an Olympian, has won a world medal, a World Judo Masters medal and a handful of grand slam and grand prix prizes and was still getting better with every outing.
Lytvynenko was up against Marie Branser of Republic of Guinea in the final, a judoka at the other end of her career. Branser has never appeared in a World Judo Tour final before and was therefore guaranteed a career-best result before the ‘Hajime!’ was called.
As expected, Yelyzaveta Lytvynenko gave absolutely no chance to her opponent. She set up and executed a perfect tani-otoshi, landing in osaekomi, and the throw was given ippon, and gold for Lytvynenko.
Young judokas were ready to take the baton in terms of the French heavyweight tradition of excellence in the +78kg. And it was Celia Cancan and Leonie Minkada-Caquineau, a junior and a cadet respectively, who stepped up.
Their style is reflective of lighter categories, upright, dynamic and full of movement. Both young women showed an ever-expanding range of techniques and applied them in combinations.
Despite all of this, the fight ended due to penalties, Celia Cancan the victor, but this was not illustrative of the talent these two have.
Final Results
Men’s -90 kg
1. IVANOV Ivaylo (BUL)
2. MAISURADZE Luka (GEO)
3. TALIBOV Vugar (AZE)
3. RADULJ Miljan (SRB)
5. KOTSOEV Aslan (AZE)
5. SANTAMARIA RODRIGUEZ Aaron (ESP)
7. DUYCK Jarne (BEL)
7. BARTO Alex (SVK)
Men’s -100 kg)
1. SHERAZADISHVILI Nikoloz (ESP)
2. YERSHOV Oleksii (UKR)
3. BRASNJOVIC Darko (SRB)
3. KUCZERA Piotr (POL)
5. HAMADA Tetta (JPN)
5. SIBISAN Alexandru (ROU)
7. BULAJA Milan (SRB)
7. ZEKAJ Shpati (KOS)
Final Results (+100 kg)
1. NASIBOV Kanan (AZE)
2. SPIJKERS Jur (NED)
3. INANEISHVILI Saba (GEO)
3. HEGYI Stephan (AUT)
5. GAMZATKHANOV Dzhamal (AZE)
5. DIABY Tieman (FRA)
7. VRACAR Igor (SRB)
7. BRONIEC Patryk (POL)
Women’s -78 kg
1. LYTVYNENKO Yelyzaveta (UAE)
2. BRANSER Marie (GUI)
3. GORGUET-VERANES Maidelines (ROU)
3. MAZZARINO Lila (FRA)
5. HOELTERHOFF Julie (GER)
5. VERSCHAERE Vicky (BEL)
7. NARANG Ishroop (IND)
7. MICHAELIDOU Zanet (CYP)
Women’s +78 kg
1. CANCAN Celia (FRA)
2. MINKADA-CAQUINEAU Leonie (FRA)
3. SWEERS Paulien (NED)
3. VUKOVIC Helena (CRO)
5. DIJKSTRA Carmen (NED)
5. TAVANO Asya (ITA)
7. RADIC Tina (CRO)
7. WOLSZCZAK Kinga (POL)
