Kayla Harrison ready for the Olympic Games

Olympic champion Kayla Harrison (USA) wrote the 17th and final chapter of her back and forth rivalry against Olympic bronze medallist Mayra Aguiar (BRA). One of the most intense and discussed rivalries in the sport, Kayla Harrison (USA) and Mayra Aguiar (BRA), was renewed just two months before the Olympics where they will be expected to meet again and potentially with the Olympic title at stake.

The star duo were tied 8-8 coming into the Masters and the highly-anticipated final materialised with American Harrison taking a priceless win over the Brazilian. Harrison was sharper in ne-waza as Aguiar laid on her front and thought her arms were not exposed as she anticipated a stop being called to the action. However, Harrison, who led by a yuko, was able to capture an arm and pulled away to make the Brazilian submit as USA won their second gold medal in Guadalajara.

Harrison: “I’m feeling good, I really like the sound of Kayla Harrison, two-time Olympic champion, that is the goal and it’s all about Rio. I have special rivalry with Mayra and in years to come I will think that I shared some of the best moments of my career with her on the mat.

“Now I will take my Olympic preparation one day at a time. I practice my ne-waza a lot and my coaches said to keep the pressure on in the final. I thought I could catch her with a juji-gatame and her arms were there and I was able to. This summer I want to win my second Olympic title.”

In the first semi-final Harrison eased past World Judo Masters silver medallist Natalie Powell (GBR) by ippon with a momentous koshi-guruma on the edge of the tatami as the Welsh fighter was unable to challenge the throne of the American. In the second semi-final Guusje Steenhuis (NED) lost out to Olympic bronze medallist Mayra Aguiar (BRA) who registered a yuko and a waza-ari which were the only scores of the contest.

The first bronze medal was won by Steenhuis who defeated Olympic silver medallist Gemma Gibbons (GBR). British hero Gibbons, who has shown fantastic fighting spirit throughout this cycle as she has been hampered by injuries, was scored on with a yuko from a sasae-tsurikomi-ashi as Dutch fighter Steenhuis had yet another successful outing for the Netherlands. The second bronze medal contest was won by European bronze medallist Powell who dismissed Almaty Grand Prix winner Zhang Zhehui (CHN) to move into the top eight on the Olympic qualification list. Cardiff-based Powell won their first head-to-head contest and a second consecutive World Judo Masters podium place as she blasted ahead with a uchi-mata earning a waza-ari. The British judoka added a second waza-ari and is now poised to become the first Welsh female judoka to compete at an Olympics Games.