Elkhan Mammadov convinces with Grand Prix gold

Former world champion Elkhan Mammadov of Azerbaijan defeated Samsun Grand Prix silver medallist Rafael Buzacarini of Brazil in the U100kg final for a highly-popular result as the winner had a considerable travelling party of Azerbaijan fans behind him.

Brazil will enter a 14-strong full team at the Olympic Games with one fighter per category as the home nation and one of their toughest choices will be who to pick in the U100kg category. Mammadov scored a waza-ari with seven seconds left from a combination as he spun his opponent before finishing with an osoto-gari which meant that his country won more gold medals in Almaty then they did at their home event, the Baku Grand Slam, a week ago. Brazil’s U100kg selection quandary could be settled at the World Judo Masters.

In the first semi-final Buzacarini defeated former world silver medallist Jose Armenteros (CUB) by a waza-ari score while in the second semi-final Mammadov rushed past Baku Grand Slam runner-up Cirjenics Miklos (HUN) by ippon after 96 seconds. 

The first bronze medal was won by Tbilisi Grand Prix silver medallist Javad Mahjoub (IRI) who was throwing Cirjenics regularly and with elevation but onto his side for two yuko scores. Cirjenics was penalised for passivity before Mahjoub made sure of bronze by throwing with ippon seoi-nage for the maximum score. The second bronze medal was won by Asian Championships silver medallist Soyib Kurbonov (UZB) as top seed Armenteros left Almaty empty-handed. Both judoka had two shidos each going into the final minute as both judoka were still searching for their first score. Kurbonov came through for Uzbekistan as he threw his Cuban opponent with a makikomi effort for a yuko with eight seconds left and ran down the remaining time.