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It would seem that as a result of the tremendous accomplishments in the Paris Olympic Games, the local crowds in Azerbaijan were ready to pack out the National Gymnastics Arena on day one of the Baku Grand Slam 2025.
First up were the -48kg women, and as the seeding predicted, we saw an Olympic semi final rematch between TSUNODA Natsumi (JPN) and Tara BABULFATH (SWE). Unfortunately for the young Swedish athlete, it was almost a replica contest and she picked up a third shido for passivity, nevertheless she walked away with a silver medal in Baku.
Eva PEREZ SOLER (ESP) took the first bronze medal against Tugce BEDER (TUR) with a lovely sumi gaeshi, adding her first IJF World Tour medal to her collection and Andrea STOJADINOV (SRB) took the second with a driving seoi otoshi against Giulia GHIGLIONE (ITA).
Though the crowd were roaring for home favourite, Balabay AGHAYEV (AZE), he was caught right out of the gate by Jorre VERSTRAETEN (BEL) in the first of the -60kg bronze medal contests, with what could only be described as a devastating ko soto gake, an unmistakable and unavoidable ippon. Azerbaijan had a second chance at a bronze with Ahmad YUSIFOV, but he delved in to golden score against Dilshot KHALMATOV (UKR) which was eventually decided on shidos in favour of Yusifov.
Following a successful day in Paris, claiming the bronze medal in the -52kg category, Ayumi LEIVA SANCHEZ (ESP) was looking for another medal, this time against Nikolina NISAVIC (SRB), the current Junior European Champion. For the first half of the contest, Leiva was dominating and came close to scoring on numerous occasion, but it wasn’t until the pair headed in to the final 30 seconds did she come up with the win, a small ko soto took Nisavic off balance and Leiva drove backwards, scoring ippon.
Many were welcoming ABE Uta (JPN) back to the tatami after her Olympic disaster, but it is all in the past now and she is on the hunt once again. Meeting Abe in the final was Mascha BALLHAUS (GER), who took a couple of minutes to really find her footing against her Japanese opponent. Ballhaus gave a good fight but in the dying seconds, Abe succeeded in ne waza to take the gold medal in Baku.
It was a true battle for bronze in the -66kg category between Rufat ALESKEROV (IJF) and Ivan CHERNYKH (IJF), there was no shortage of entertainment, with both judoka looking for the big throws, but they were equally as good at escaping. Then only nine seconds in to golden score, waza ari and the medal was claimed by Chernykh with a great change of direction, feigning a seoi nage before switching to ko uchi gari. Again there was an opportunity for Azerbaijan to add a medal to the team’s tally from Elshan ASADOV, challenged by Azizbek ORTIKOV (UZB). After seven minutes of contest time, and so many close calls, Ortikov picked up a third shido which sent the crowd wild with delight.
Finalising day one in the Baku Grand Slam, the -57kg women guaranteed Europe a medal in the first bronze medal contest between Veronica TONIOLO (ITA) and Marica PERISIC (SRB). It was an even head to head, and ran in to golden score, the decider was a third shido to Toniolo, awarding Perisic the medal. Following in her sister’s success, Seija BALLHAUS (GER) went on to take the second of the -57kg bronze medals, though she was thrown by Jessica LIMA (BRA), Lima was unable to manage the contest and fell under the pressure, accumulating three shidos.
Plenty more action will be coming in the next two days so tune in to JudoTV.com for all the contests!
Feature Photo: Emanuele Di Feliciantonio (IJF)
Judoka
Author: Thea Cowen