Ukraine’s Iryna Kindzerska captures first IJF Tour victory

Budapest Grand Prix bronze medallist Iryna Kindzerska (UKR) defeated five-time world medallist Tachimoto Megumi (JPN) to make sure that her country’s only medal in Germany was of the golden variety. World number 24 Tachimoto, 28, was making her return from a lengthy injury lay-off and that showed as the 25-year-old Ukrainian, who was fifth at the London 2012 Olympics, drove over the accomplished Japanese heavyweight in golden score with a tani-otoshi for a match-winning waza-ari score and her first Grand Prix gold prize.

In the first semi-final Tachimoto defeated Pan American Championships bronze medallist Rochele Nunes (BRA) by a waza-ari score to guarantee one more medal for Japan whose women’s team were on fire in Germany all weekend. In the second semi-final Kindzerska held down Madrid European Open silver medallist Kristin Buessow (GER) for 20 seconds and ippon in the closing stages of their contest.

The first bronze medal was won by World Judo Masters bronze medallist Larisa Ceric (BIH) as her home opponent Buessow received a third shido for passivity and was disqualified. The second bronze medal was won by 16-year-old Tokyo Grand Slam silver medallist Sone Akira (JPN) who, having had a morote-seoi-nage countered for a waza-ari score, was powerful for her vastly more experienced opponent. Sone scored three waza-ari to take command of the contest and held down Nunes for 20 seconds to make a mockery of her level of inexperience and the 11-year age gap between the two.