Elmar Gasimov tops the podium in Tbilisi

Elmar Gasimov seems to be the number one judoka after his victory at the Grand Prix in Tbilisi.

Tyumen Grand Slam winner Elmar GASIMOV (AZE) reigned supreme as he beat Olympic bronze medallist Dimitri PETERS (GER) with the Baku Grand Slam and European Games in Azerbaijan both looming. PETERS went close with an osoto-gari before his ambitious opponent went in front with a yuko by countering an osoto-otoshi and he will be one of his country’s leading hopes at their home events.    

In the first semi-final PETERS bested Zagreb Grand Prix silver medallist Aleksandre MSKHALADZE (GEO) by a yuko as a ko-uchi-gari extinguished the hosts’ -100kg aspirations. In the second semi-final the eagerly-awaited all-Azerbaijan clash saw former world champion Elkhan MAMMADOV (AZE) sustain an injury with three minutes on the clock as held his ribs leaving the tatami with teammate GASIMOV handed the win.

The first bronze medal was won by top seed and world bronze medallist Karl-Richard FREY (GER) who salvaged his day as MAMMADOV could not compete due an injury sustained in his semi-final. The second bronze medal was won by Sofia European Open bronze medallist Jevgenijs BORODAVKO (LAT) as the home fans were denied an -100kg bronze medal. BORODAVKO scored waza-ari on two occasions from the same technique as his ura-nage guided him to victory.