Judo Grand Slam, Abu Dhabi 2014 DAY 1 -48kg | -52kg | -57kg | -60kg | -66kg The first day of the first Judo Grand Slam (after five editions of the Grand Prix) in Abu Dhabi was completed in the UAE capital with the first five gold medals which were awarded at the end of a day of beautiful and spectacular judo. Today 61 men and 64 women were in action in five categories: men’s -60kg and 66kg and women’s -48kg, -52kg and -57kg. Dr. Lisa Allan, the IJF competition manager said: “From an organizational point of view, the UAE Judo federation really did a great job. There are a lot of improvements compared to last year. The hall looks fantastic. After this first day of competition, we can be really proud of the job done by everybody. If there are still some areas to be improved, we can confirm that this is a real Grand Slam and I am sure that next year it will be even better. Knowing that several years ago, judo was not developed at all in the UAE, this is really impressive. The organizing committee is keen to work in close cooperation with the IJF and this is appreciated.” Mr. Vladimir Barta, the IJF Head Sport Director, and Armen Bagdasarov, the IJF Sport Director, agreed to say: ”Today we have seen really beautiful judo. Fight after fight the level was increasing while the best players of the day were entering the final rounds of the preliminaries.” Mr. Barta added: “We can see a new generation showing that we will have to count on them for the future. Young juniors are already ready to fight in the senior categories. This is very positive.” Naser Al Tamimi, the IJF General Treasurer, who is leading the organizing team here in Abu Dhabi under the leadership of H.E. Mohammed Bin Tha’aloob Al Dirai, President of the UAE Judo Federation, said: “We are really happy so far. We put a lot of effort to organize this Grand Slam. It is only the beginning but the result looks really good. We got some really good feedback from the IJF and that is what is important for us.” One important aspect that reflects the level of the event is the TV production. According to the IJF TV department, the best equipment possible is available to film the combats in all possible angles. This includes several super slow motion cameras and a crane camera for top images. The final block today and in the two upcoming days, will be filmed and broadcasted in high definition. Nine replays are immediately available after each action. But the TV coverage starts from the very first fights of the preliminary rounds. A studio for live transmission from the field of play is also available for the national TV. All together it represents more than 40 people involved for the TV production. Andreea BUZATU (born ISARESCU), Olympic (Sydney 2000) and World Champion in gymnastics, who is now working in Abu Dhabi, was present today for this first day of competition. She said: « Judo is amazing. I was a gymnast and I know the feeling to be competing at that level. I am impressed by the public which were quite numerous today. I came here last year as well and I’m happy to be present again. It’s always a pleasure to watch high level sport. » The best judo players of the day were: Telma MONTEIRO (POR) and Dzmitry SHERSHAN (BLR). FOLLOW THE COMPETITION The draw can be seen at: ippon.org/gs_uae2014.php Live stream on Ippon TV: ippon.tv Facebook: facebook/ijudo Twitter: twitter/IntJudoFed Official event hash tag: #JudoAbuDhabi2014 Judobase: judobase.org Instagram: instagram/judogallery YouTube: youtube/judo WOMEN -48kg: More Points for the World Number One, Urantsetseg MUNKHBAT (MGL) The first final of the day opposed world number one and 2013 world champion, Urantsetseg MUNKHBAT (MGL) and world number eight and double European champion, CSERNOVICZKI Eva (HUN). A first shido was given to CSERNOVICZKI for not respecting the limit of the fighting area and a few seconds later the Hungarian was sent to the tatami with a precise ko-uchi-gari from MUNKHBAT for waza-ari. Despite a second and a third shido given to the Mongolian, she could keep her advantage to win another major title and gain more points to remain on the top of the World Ranking List. The first bronze medal fight opposed, Dilara LOKMANHEKIM (TUR) and Taciana LIMA (GBS). After a minute, Lima was penalized with a first shido for passivity, as she looked dominated by LOKMANHEKIM. But half way to the end, Lima scored with a first uchimata for yuko, followed immediately by a second yuko. The two athletes entered the last minute with a small but still strong lead by LIMA who started to defend. As a consequence she was penalized a second time. 12 second before the end, LOKMANHEKIM also scored a yuko, giving her a little hope but Lima again scored with an opportunist uki-goshi and immobilized her opponent for ippon. In the second bronze medal fight, Violeta DUMITRU (ROU), for the first time at that level of competition met the bronze medallist of the last Asian Games, Mi KIM Sol (PRK). The first penalty was given to the Romanian after 2 minutes and 30 seconds for a wrong cross-grip position. Keeping the smallest advantage (1 penalty) until the end, KIM won the first medal of here delegation, confirming what Mr. BARTA declared earlier during the day: “North Korea is back. They are here in Abu Dhabi with a strong team.” Final MUNKHBAT, Urantsetseg (MGL) vs. CSERNOVICZKI, Eva (HUN) Bronze Medal Fights LOKMANHEKIM, Dilara (TUR) vs. LIMA, Taciana (GBS) DUMITRU, Violeta (ROU) vs. KIM, Sol Mi (PRK) Final Results 1. MUNKHBAT, Urantsetseg (MGL) 2. CSERNOVICZKI, Eva (HUN) 3. KIM, Sol Mi (PRK) 3. LIMA, Taciana (GBS) 5. DUMITRU, Violeta (ROU) 5. LOKMANHEKIM, Dilara (TUR) 7. FIGUEROA, Julia (ESP) 7. JIANG, Yahong (CHN) -52kg: KELMENDI Again Reaches the Summit As a remake of the last World Championships in Chelyabinsk, the final of the day opposed the world number one and double World Champion, Majlinda KELMENDI (KOS) and Andreea CHITU (ROU) who won the last Judo Grand Prix in Tashkent a couple of weeks ago. With her World champion red back number perfectly attached to her judogi, Kelmendi once again looked untouchable throughout the day, even if the French EURANIE impeached her to develop her explosive judo. After two minutes, CHITU, being under the pressure of the world number one, received a first penalty for passivity. CHITU put all her power in a risky uchi-mata attempt, from where KELMENDI easily escaped to counter attack with her own left-handed uchi-mata for waza-ari. And once again, the 23-year-old from Kosovo won a major title. Who will be able to stop her? For the first bronze medal fight, Joana RAMOS (POR), one of the top eight seeded athletes faced Natalia KUZIUTINA (RUS), world number four, European champion (Budapest 2013) and bronze medal at the world Championships, in Chelyabinsk this summer. After a few seconds the Russian already scored a waza-ari with a shoulder movement and then could control the fight before immobilizing the Portuguese for ippon. The second bronze medal fight saw MA Yingnan (CHN) and Annabelle EURANIE (FRA) fighting for a place on the podium. Much smaller than her opponent, MA did not seem to be afraid of EURANIE and her long arms and legs until the last 30 seconds when the French launched a last uchi-mata for waza-ari. Final KELMENDI, Majlinda (KOS) vs. CHITU, Andreea (ROU) Bronze Medal Fights RAMOS, Joana (POR) vs. KUZIUTINA, Natalia (RUS) MA, Yingnan (CHN) vs. EURANIE, Annabelle (FRA) Final Results 1. KELMENDI, Majlinda (KOS) 2. CHITU, Andreea (ROU) 3. EURANIE, Annabelle (FRA) 3. KUZIUTINA, Natalia (RUS) 5. MA, Yingnan (CHN) 5. RAMOS, Joana (POR) 7. GIUFFRIDA, Odette (ITA) 7. HEYLEN, Ilse (BEL) -57kg: Unstoppable MONTEIRO (POR) The last final of the day saw Laetitia BLOT (FRA) and Telma MONTEIRO (POR) fighting for gold. After only a few seconds, MONTEIRO launched a brilliant drop seoi-nage, from where BLOT miraculously escaped for no score. Being too passive the French judoka was penalized with a shido. By putting pressure on BLOT, MONTEIRO scored a superb waza-ari after a combination with an ashi-waza (leg) technique. Nothing seemed to be able to stop Monteiro today and after perfectly controlled ground work, she finally immobilized BLOT for ippon. World number five and Grand Slam Baku 2014 winner, Sabrina FILZMOSER (AUT), was again present in a medal fight of a major IJF event against RI Hyo Sun (PRK), who was in the position to win a second medal for her delegation on the occasion of this first day of the Grand Slam. More than two minutes were necessary to see the referee giving one penalty to each of the athletes for passivity which was followed by another shido a few seconds later. The Golden Score period was getting closer, when FILZMOSER finally found a tiny opportunity to immobilize her opponent for ippon. The second bronze medal fight of the category opposed the bronze medallist of the Junior World Championships, Catherine BEAUCHEMIN-PINARD (CAN) and the London Olympic silver medallist, Corina CAPRIORIU (ROU). The Romanian scored first taking the lead with a yuko from a superb sode-tsuri-komi-goshi, CAPRIORIU finally secured her place on the podium. Final BLOT, Laetitia (FRA) vs. MONTEIRO, Telma (POR) Bronze Medal Fights FILZMOSER, Sabrina (AUT) vs. RI, Hyo Sun (PRK) BEAUCHEMIN-PINARD, Catherine (CAN) vs. CAPRIORIU, Corina (ROU) Final Results 1. MONTEIRO, Telma (POR) 2. BLOT, Laetitia (FRA) 3. CAPRIORIU, Corina (ROU) 3. FILZMOSER, Sabrina (AUT) 5. BEAUCHEMIN-PINARD, Catherine (CAN) 5. RI, Hyo Sun (PRK) 7. MALLOY, Marti (USA) 7. QUINTAVALLE, Giulia (ITA) MEN -60kg: SAFAROV (AZE) Adds a Second Grand Slam Victory to His Prize List in 2014 The first male final of today’s category opposed Amartuvshin DASHDAVAA (MGL) and Orkhan SAFAROV (AZE). At the half of the fight, DASHDAVAA was leading with only one shido given to SAFAROV. Then a shido was also given to DASHDAVAA. DASHDAVAA was again penalized just before SAFAROV scored a waza-ari with an action-reaction movement (tani-otoshi). Ashley MCKENZIE (GBR), bronze medallist of the Havana Grand Prix this year, and Kherlen GANBOLD (MGL), bronze medallist on the occasion of the last two Grand Prix met for the first bronze medal fight. After two minutes both fighters were penalized with a shido. Not able to respect the limits of the fighting area, MCKENZIE was penalized a second time with shido, just before GANBOLD launched a quick and aerial uchimata for a clear ippon, giving him his third bronze medal in a row on the occasion of a World Judo Tour event. The second bronze medal fight opposed Francisco GARRIGOS (ESP) and Ilgar MUSHKIYEV (AZE) and was won by Ilgar MUSHKIYEV with a single shido. Final DASHDAVAA, Amartuvshin (MGL) vs. SAFAROV, Orkhan (AZE) Bronze Medal Fights MCKENZIE, Ashley (GBR) vs. GANBOLD, Kherlen (MGL) GARRIGOS, Francisco (ESP) vs. MUSHKIYEV, Ilgar (AZE) Final Results 1. SAFAROV, Orkhan (AZE) 2. DASHDAVAA, Amartuvshin (MGL) 3. GANBOLD, Kherlen (MGL) 3. MUSHKIYEV, Ilgar (AZE) 5. GARRIGOS, Francisco (ESP) 5. MCKENZIE, Ashley (GBR) 7. IMASHEV, Aibek (KAZ) 7. PAISCHER, Ludwig (AUT) -66kg: Top of the Podium for Dzmitry SHERSHAN (BLR) The second male final of the day opposed Dzmitry SHERSHAN (BLR) and Tarlan KARIMOV (AZE). Only 45 seconds were necessary for Dzmitry SHERSHAN to secure the victory with an immobilisation for ippon. In the first bronze medal fight between Sebastian SEIDL (GER) and Alim GADANOV (RUS), the Russian was rapidly penalized with a first shido after 16 seconds. Seidl scored the first yuko of the bout with a counter-attack. A few penalties later, he was still leading with this yuko, enough to win the bronze medal. The second bronze medal fight opposed Patrick GAGNE (CAN) and Adrian GOMBOC (SLO). After two minutes, GAGNE was penalized with a first shido, which was largely compensated by the superb uchimata for waza-ari scored by the Canadian before the last minute. Even if he was penalized two more times for passivity for false attacks, GAGNE won the bronze. Final SHERSHAN, Dzmitry (BLR) vs. KARIMOV, Tarlan (AZE) Bronze Medal Fights SEIDL, Sebastian (GER) vs. GADANOV, Alim (RUS) GAGNE, Patrick (CAN) vs. GOMBOC, Adrian (SLO) Final Results 1. SHERSHAN, Dzmitry (BLR) 2. KARIMOV, Tarlan (AZE) 3. GAGNE, Patrick (CAN) 3. SEIDL, Sebastian (GER) 5. GADANOV, Alim (RUS) 5. GOMBOC, Adrian (SLO) 7. DOVDON, Altansukh (MGL) 7. TUTKHALIAN, Vae (BLR) COMPETITION PROGRAMME Saturday 11:00 Preliminaries on three mats 17:00 Final block on one mat Women: -63kg, -70kg Men: -73kg, -81kg Sunday 11:00 Preliminaries on three mats 17:00 Final block on one mat Women: -78kg, +78kg Men: -90kg, -100kg, +100kg Location: FGB Arena, Abu Dhabi
Posted on: Sat, 01 Nov 2014 06:29:31 +0000
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