The Japanese women were super powerful winning all four gold medals at the first day of the IJF masters in Suwon, Korea.
In the women’s category U48kg, Japan took all four medals. Haruna Asami won the gold beating Kaori Kondo. The last time a country took all medals in an international championship was at the Grand Slam of Tokyo in 2008, in the U48 category.
Misato Nakamura won the gold U52kg defeating Laura Gomez (ESP) in the final. 2010 French Champion Penelope Bonna (FRA) won bronze.
The final U57 was completely Japanese Kaori Matsumoto won the gold against Nae Udaka. Hitomi Tokuhisa took the bronze for Japan as well. The only European to win a medal was Hedvig Karakas of Hungary.
U63kg Alice Schlesinger (ISR) won a bronze medal after her loss against the later winner to world champion Yoshie Ueno (JPN).
In the men’s category U66kg two Russian won medals. Alim Gadanov lost the final to Sanjaasuren Miaragchaa of Mongolia (pictured). Musa Mogushkov finished third as he lost to the later winner. Also David Larose (FRA) won the bronze in Suwon.
2009 European Champion Arsen Galstyan (RUS) finished third in the U60kg class.
U73kg Gilles Bonhomme (FRA) lost this final against Bang Gui-Man. The Asian Champion hasn’t lost for a long time winning the Chinggis Khan World Cup in Ulaanbaatar, the IJF Grand Prix in Qingdao and the Kracup Korea Open in Suwon in three months time. Another Russian, Mansur Isaev gained a bronze medal.
