World Champions Ono and Trstenjak show off in Düsseldorf

At the second day of the Judo Grand Prix in Düsseldorf, Shohei Ono once again showed that he is the number one candidate to represent Japan at the Olympic Games. Does he still need to prove it? Maybe not, but he does it. He prolonged his title of last year.

The phenomenon from Japan was again super powerful and skilled, also in his final against one of the stronger athletes in the world Rustam Orujov, for a long time the world’s number one in the list.

The real number ones are from Asia, Ono and An. Today it was Ono who overpowered An in the semi final. Sainjargal of Mongolia in the quarter final, also not the least, but in this stage Ono is simply invincible.

In the women’s category U63kg Tina Trstenjak stated she is still the number one in the world, also with her red World champion backpatch, but perhaps a bit more vulnerable compared to Ono U73kg. Still the Slovenian have another opportunity in Rio to prolong the title won by Zolnir in London. In today’s final Trstenjak defeated last year’s winner Alice Schlesinger, which is again a huge performance of the British who secured her place in London and charged some confidence in this heavy weight category. For Trstenjak who finished fifth in Paris it’s her first victory this year.

Bernadette Graf stunned last year’s winner Chizuru Arai in the final U70kg. With a huge slam she destroyed the ambitions of the Japanese. It was the first Austrian victory in the World Tour since July, also by Graf in Mongolia. Last week Austria was spoiled by Ludwig Paischer winning in Oberwart, so that gives confidence in this essential year for Austria where it may be the last year for the older athletes to pick up a medal. The future is up to Graf and co. Today Düsseldorf was clapping the hands red for Graf who had never medalled in Düsseldorf before.

The final U81kg was the top match for Germany with Sven Maresch who took his chance to get higher on the ranking. The ill Alexander Wieczerzak saw his competitor for Rio from the stands. Against Joachim Bottieau of Belgian, also Maresch met last year’s winner. But despute Maresch victory against the Belgian in Havana, it was again Bottieau who took the lead in the match in the last minute by waza-ari. A lead that he never gave away and it was Bottieau who prolonged his title, just like Shohei Ono.