Akari Omori (JPN) and Momo Tamaoki (JPN) each wanted the title as much as anyone could. Winning gold at home is a prestigious achievement, one which is always rewarded by the spectators and the national media.
Akari Omori (JPN).
The -57 kg final of the Park24 Group Tokyo Grand Slam was fast paced but also carefully considered. Neither wished to give the other an opening and both wanted to show their best judo; it was an inevitably close contest. In the end, Omori took the victory and the gold, attacking more cleanly than Tamaoki, penalties deciding it.
Omori (JPN) takes the win.
The bronze medal contests featured Eteri Liparteliani (GEO) and Sarah-Leonie Cysique (FRA) on mat 2 and Irina Zueva (RUS) fighting Mio Shirakane (JPN) on mat 3.
On tatami 2, Liparteliani aimed to dominate the gripping and the distance but Cysique is experienced and controlled the gripping well. She almost footswept the Georgian judoka but once recovered, Liparteliani seemed renewed and in an unpredictable exchange she caught an awkward grip and threw Cysique with obi-tori-gaeshi for a waza-ari. Cysique didn’t let that destroy her focus and pressured her opponent hard, almost scoring with a clever sasae-tsuri-komi-ashi but the time ticked away and so did her medal chance. Liparteliani had another grand slam medal to add to her ever-growing collection.
Cysique (FRA) and Liparteliani (GEO).
In the other bronze medal contest, Shirakane was in control from the outset, leading the pace, the rhythm and the style. She never looked at risk and with 90 seconds remaining she secured an unbreakable osaekomi which she held for the full 20 seconds. Shirakane now has a Tokyo Grand Slam medal to add to her junior world title from just a few weeks ago.
Shirakane (JPN) holds Zueva (RUS) for bronze.
Bronze Medal Fights (-57 kg)
Medals, cheques and flowers were presented by Mr Haruki Uemura, IJF Executive Committee member and President of the Kodokan, and Ms Noriko Sonoda, Councilor of the All Japan Judo Federation.
AloJapan.com