Idalys Ortiz still in shape after four years of top judo

Cuban Olympic champion Idalys Ortiz prepared to defend her title this summer by taking a confidence boosting win in the women’s heavyweight category. World number two Ortiz, 26, who was possibly wearing her gold backpatch as the London 2012 winner for the final time, defeated European champion Kayra Sayit (TUR) on shido penalties in a tentative final.

Ortiz said she is 80% sure that she will fight at the World Judo Masters later this month while Sayit has been a late bloomer in this cycle for Turkey. The charismatic Cuban, who has won the hearts of the judo family and not just her home nation, won 1:2 on shidos and was all smiles as she left the tatami.

In the semi-finals Ortiz defeated former Paris Grand Slam bronze medallist Larisa Ceric (BIH) as the latter was unable to challenge the supremacy of the Cuban. Ceric was penalised four times to receive hansoku-make and set her sights on a bronze medal charge instead of a berth in the +78kg final. In the second semi-final Asian Championships winner Kim Min-Jeong, who was sporting some red highlights, was held down by the high-flying Sayit for 20 seconds and ippon.

The first bronze medal was won by Pan American Championships bronze medallist Melissa Mojica (PUR) against beaten semi-finalist Kim. A yuko from Mojica was the only score of the contest as Mojica made it two bronze medals from the two Puerto Rican judoka in Almaty. The Pan American nation has never won an Olympic judo medal but will be putting everything behind Mojica and -70kg bronze medallist Maria Perez this summer. The second bronze medal was won by Ceric as she extended her unblemished head-to-record against Warsaw European Open bronze medallist Santa Pakenyte (LTU) to 5-0. Ceric was penalised once while Pakenyte received three shidos in a contest which failed to develop any rhythm but was still appreciated by the respectful crowd.