Silva and Kowalewska in action.(Photo Emanuele Di Feliciantonio, Tamara Kulumbegashvili)
It was an unexpected gold for Nauana SIlva claimed the gold for the first time at the Zagreb Judo Grand Prix.
The fourth seeded Brazilian qualified for the women’s -70 kg category final together with seventh seeded Aleksandra Kowalewska of Poland. Favourites Sanne Van Dijke of the Netherlands and Lara Cvjetko of Croatia, among the most decorated athletes of the group, didn’t deliver their best day and that left the field open for others to take the reins.
Silva opened play with a series of powerful attacks, several coming close to scoring but Kowaleswska was able to avoid trouble. A shido was inevitable. Another followed a minute later to put Kowaleska under a new pressure.
With 46 seconds left on the clock, Silva hooked in and produced the lowest uchi-mata imaginable. She rolled her opponent on to her back cleanly and precisely for ippon.
After the final, Silva spoke joyously about her day, “I am very happy but am staying very focused mentally and in spirit. When I came here today, my expectation and goal was the gold medal and everything went the right way. This is my first medal in Croatia and my first gold on the World Judo Tour.”
Klimkait climbs to the top step
Since arriving in the women’s -63 kg category Jessica Klimkait has been climbing the ranks steadily, not rushing, not impatient. The Canadian looking stronger than ever, every inch the world champion she was in 2021 at -57 kg. Klimkait’s route to the final included a win over 2024 world champion Joanne Van Lieshout of the Netherlands, a big win indeed.
On the other side of the draw, Kaja Kajzerm Zabkar of Slovenia took two ippon wins before a closer contest demanded additional focus but a yuko win over home athlete Iva Oberan earned her a place in the category final.
This began as a classic battle for the sleeve, one that lasted long enough for each competitor to receive a shido; neither was willing to give their sleeve to the other. In the next exchange Klimkait accelerated and made space for a seoi-otoshi many would not have escaped; Kajzer Zabkar did.
The tables then looked to be turning as the Slovenian caught her favourite top grip and broke Klimkait’s posture, but with no attack on the end of it, it offered no real advantage. Klimkait continued to attack and Kajzer Zabkar was given a second shido. This put her in a precarious position meaning she had to come forward. Klimkait capitalised perfectly and with 14 seconds to go she drove herself underneath her opponent and scored a waza-ari with her tokui-waza. This was the winning moment!
After the final Klimkait said, “It feels really nice to make such a quick comeback after a summer surgery to be back on the podium. I put everything into my rehab to minimise the gap between me and other competitors. My elbow is now working at 100 percent, allowing me to use techniques I had to avoid previously. With other changes in the sport, I feel more freedom to explore.”
Loladze and Green surprise a dynamic field
Joshua Green’s performance in the men’s -73kg is the one on everyone’s lips. The 26-year-old Irishman has never appeared in a World Judo Tour final block before but today was his day.
On the top half of the draw another unseeded judoka stepped forward. Giorgi Loladze of Georgia won four contests en route to his semi-final. There he found an in-form Akil Gjakova of Kosova and struggled at first. Eventually he found his footing and threw for ippon. This was definitely a final no-one expected.
A dynamic and physical contest entertained the spectators inside the Zagreb Arena. Both attacked, both avoided, both gripped excellently. As the contest went into golden score there was only a single shido on each side of the board.
As the second minute of extra time was coming to a close, Loladze finally found his space. He scored a yuko with an o-uchi-gari. This is Loladze’s first gold on the World Judo Tour but it is also Joshua Green’s first medal at this level.
After the final, Giorgi Loladze said, “I am very overwhelmed! I have won a gold medal at an IJF tournament for the first time and I am so happy; I don’t know how to express it, I am so glad. This is just the beginning of everything. It was a very tense match but I gathered my strength in golden score and managed to become the champion. It’s a very cool arena, a very cool atmosphere, a very cool country and there are so many fans; I enjoyed shaking hands with the children here.”
Gold for Gauthier Drapeau
Francois Gauthier Drapeau arrived as the top seed and confirmed his place by winning his first three fights by ippon in the men’s -81kg category. He won his semi-final by wazq-ari against Bright Maddaloni-Nosa, a young Italian in excellent form in Zagreb.
Murodjon Yuldoshev of Uzbekistan, on the other side of the draw, had a harder time, but the result was the same. The final was bound to be explosive between elite judoka with totally different styles.
This was a very close contest with both judoka playing a cautious game. Unconvincing attacks began to garner penalties and by the full-time mark each had two. In golden score Gauthier Drapeau attempted to accelerate but struggled against the heavy sleeve grips of Yuldoshev.
After a minute and a half into extra time, he attacked but it failed and Yuldoshev jumped on his arm immediately. It looked to be all over but somehow the Canadian escaped, narrowly. He used his reprieve perfectly and foot-swept Yuldoshev for a yuko to win the gold, his first in a grand prix.
“I’m feeling so good, exclaimed Francois Gauthier Drapeau, “because my last tournaments were not what I wanted and today. I threw everyone. I won the gold medal which is such a relief. I think I fixed a couple of mistakes, I worked hard on those little weaknesses and now it has finally paid off. You’ll see me next in Japan, in Tokyo; after a gold medal like this, I’ll be unstoppable. It will be a hard tournament but if you want to be the best in the world, you have to fight the best in the world.”
