Iakiv Khammo sets Olympic tone for Ukraine

Iakiv Khammo is counting down the days to Rio and expected challenge for an Olympic medal after another fine win on the IJF World Judo Tour. The 21-year-old World bronze medallist beat Tbilisi Grand Prix silver medallist Roy Meyer of the Netherlands in the +100kg final as he shut down the powerhouse Dutchman for the five minutes of regular time and golden score.

Khammo pressed forward and threw with a sasae-tsurikomi-ashi after 69 seconds of additional time for a match-winning waza-ari score as Meyer had no energy left to defend the attack.

In the first semi-final home Olympic hope David Moura (BRA) was well beaten by Khammo who scored a yuko with an osoto-gari and a waza-ari from a beautiful drop seoi-nage to add to his opening waza-ari. In the second semi-final Meyer outworked 35-year-old Asian Championships silver medallist Abdullo Tangriev (UZB) who received hansoku-make for four shidos.

In the first bronze medal contest Bor Barna (HUN) was awarded the contest and medal after Tangriev could not fight due to an injury. The first bronze medal went to Moura who had the measure of Battulga Temuulen (MGL) as the superior conditioning of the Brazilian gave him the platform to attack with vigour and saw him throw with a stunning beautiful seoi-nage for a yuko which left the crowd purring.