Tsunoda wins all-Japanese battle to take gold in Tokyo

Kodokan Cup winner Tsunoda Natsumi won gold on her IJF debut as she defeated teenage starlet Abe Uta in the U52kg final. Tsunoda, 24, faced Abe, 16, in the gold medal contest as two new names came to the fore in Tokyo. The former fought her way to the top of the podium as she tapped out the teenage sister of Abe Hifumi with a juji-gatame.

In the first semi-final Tyumen Grand Slam winner Shishime Ai (JPN) fell to Kodokan Cup winner Tsunoda Natsumi (JPN). The IJF World Judo Tour debutant opened the scoring with a yuko from a seoi-nage off to the side before submitting her countrywoman with a juji-gatame. In the second semi-final 16-year-old IJF World Judo Tour debutant Abe Uta (JPN) defeated 20-year-old former Cadet World Championships bronze medallist Tatsukawa Rina (JPN) with an emphatic osoto-gari for ippon.

The first bronze medal was won by Tatsukawa who marked her first appearance on the IJF World Judo Tour by taking the scalp of -52kg newcomer Charline Van Snick (BEL). Tatsukawa attacked early with an uchi-mata and her volume of work exceeded that of her Belgian opponent who was penalised for passivity and that determined the winner after the four minutes elapsed. The second bronze medal was won by Shishime who held down Tashkent Grand Prix silver medallist Diyora Keldiyorova (UZB) in osaekomi for 20 seconds as Japan kept both bronze medals in Tokyo.