Unboundedly, Anna-Maria WAGNER (GER) was the favourite in the -78kg category on the final day of the Dushanbe Grand Prix 2023. On route to repeat last week success in Linz, she made her way to the final. Starting as top seed step by step surpassed Khuslen OTGONBAYAR (MGL), Iriskhon KURBANBAEVA (UZB) and Emma REID (GBR). For gold, former world champion had to overcome 20-year-old teammate, Anna Monta OLEK (GER). Whilst Germany was guaranteed the victory, Wagner wasn’t. As expected, when two athletes go up against from the same team, the contest went head to head, straight into golden score. At this point, Wagner already had a yellow card on her side of the score board and it was not long before that doubled. Junior World Champion (2021), Olek sensed the window of opportunity opened and with a third and final penalty against Wagner, the younger German judoka was able to declare her first Grand Prix gold medal. A bronze medal was collected by Giorgia STANGHERLIN (ITA) within the same weight category.
Similarly, Rochele NUNES (POR) also topped her personal medal tally with a first Grand Prix gold as she conquered the +78kg category, defeating Samira BOUIZGARNE (GER) in the final. Europe had a range of bronze collectors from the men’s weight division with a double earn from David KLAMMERT (CZE) and Eljan HAJIYEV (AZE) in the -90kg category and a single medal take by Zlatko KUMRIC (CRO) in the -100kg category.
The IJF World Tour will move to Astana in two-weeks’ time for the Qazaqatan Barysy Grand Slam, 16-18 June 2023. All results and contests can be found at JudoTV.com.
Judoka
Author: Szandra Szogedi