Cuba’s Silva Morales shows his class to capture second Grand Prix title

Ivan Felipe Silva Morales struck for Cuba as he beat former Tashkent Grand Prix winner Marc Odenthal (GER) in the U90kg final. World silver medallist Silva Morales was coming off the back of the best result of his career in Azerbaijan and was full of confidence as he topped the podium in Cancun.

The former U81kg judoka countered the German who started with a uchi-mata and switched to a ko-soto but was off balance and the Cuban took full advantage for ippon in 56 seconds.

In the first semi-final Odenthal edged past Tunis Grand Prix bronze medallist David Klammert (CZE) by a waza-ari score which was the only score in the four minute contest. In the second semi-final Silva Morales defeated Tbilisi Grand Prix gold medallist Rafael Macedo (BRA) after two minutes of golden score with a uchi-mata for a waza-ari score.

The first bronze medal was won by Macedo who threw world number 48 Frazer Chamberlain (GBR) with a morote-seoi-nage for ippon. In the second minute of the contest the Brazilian launched the Camberley Judo Club member for the maximum score. Macedo is now a three-time Grand Prix medallist while Chamberlain offered his best performance thus far on the IJF World Judo Tour and earned invaluable points towards his Tokyo 2020 qualification bid.

The second bronze medal went to Buenos Aires Pan American Open winner Nacif Elias (LBN) who beat Klammert. The Brazil-born Elias became Lebanon’s first male medallist on the IJF World Judo Tour with a narrow in over his Czech Republic rival by a waza-ari score from a modified kata-guruma. Elias, who won a Grand Slam silver medal when he previously represented Brazil, won his first IJF medal for Lebanon and will jump up the rankings from his lowly position of 42nd in the world.