Day 1 of the action featured women’s -48kg, -52kg and -57kg categories and men’s -60kg and -66kg categories, and of the 15 medal matches, seven finished with Ippon.
-48Kg Bronze medal match: Lokmanhekim (TUR) V. Vrsic (SLO)
The medal matches and ippons start off with the smallest, fastest and most furious category.
Lokmanhekim is down by 2 yukos but comes from behind to score ippon with a solid o uchi gari
-60KG Bronze medal match: Papinashvili (GEO) V. Galstyan (RUS)
The crowd was absolutely bonkers in this match with the local versus the olympic champ. Galstyan puts the crowd into a hush when he buries his opponent with a big ura nage for wazari with only 30 seconds left.
-60kg Bronze medal match: Chkhvimiani (GEO) V. Yessimbetov (KAZ)
Chkhvimiani scores with a tai otoshi but Yessimbetov attempts to bridge out of the technique. Landing on your head and neck to bridge is an automatic ippon. Chkhvimiani walks away with the bronze.
-57kg Bronze medal match: Hevondian (UKR) V. Altai (MGL)
Altai takes her mongolian wrestling style grip and is thwarted by a nicely timed sasae.
-48kg Gold medal match: Kondratyeva (RUS) V. Cherniak (UKR)
Kondratyeva transitions back and forth from juji roll arm bar to the S-mount pin. Absolutely wonderful to see such ne waza back in judo. This is way too long for a GIF so just watch from 1:25 and on below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LADauGawwv8
-60kg Gold medal match: Kossayev (KAZ) V. Safarov (AZE)
Safarov buries Kossayev with a big osoto gari for the gold. Notice his overhand grip just ripping Kossayev over
-66kg Gold medal match: Zantaraia (UKR) V. Shikhalizada (AZE)
Shikhalizada throws Zantaraia with tai o toshi, Zantaraia attempts to bridge out of the throw (second example on this day). Ippon and gold for Shikhalizada.
-57kg Gold Medal match: Rogic (SRB) V. Zabludina (RUS)
Another display of the juji roll by the Russian’s. They’ve been using it all day and Zabludina takes the gold medal with a smooth juji roll. Notice how she finishes with the ankle behind the neck rather than over the head. Rogic is tapping while she rolls over.
What was your favourite ippon in day 1 of the finals? Post in the comments below!
Also don’t forget to check out the rest of our coverage on Tblisi Judo Grand Prix 2014.
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