World Champion Gwak practises with Universiade gold in Taipei

Current World Champion Gwak Dong-Han of Korea did a successful practice for the World Championships next week in Budapest. With a gold medal at the Universiade Gwak was likely one of the last medal winners of all participants in Budapest. At the Universiade in Taipei he won his category U90kg in the final against Russian Stanislav Retinskii, a former Ukrainian judoka. Gwak led by a wazari and didn’t let Retinskii escape and took the gold.

In the semi final Gwak bested Shoichiro Mukai of Japan. Among the five opponents Gwak also defeated Patryk Ciechomski of Poland. Mukai won the bronze for Japan and Firudin Dadashov of Azerbaijan also won bronze U90kg.

In the men’s U81kg final Lee Seung-Su captured the gold medal after a victory against Russian Aslan Lappinagov. Lee who was fifth at the senior World Championships in Astana and competed at the Olympic Games won the second gold for Korea on Monday and third overall. Lee defeated Dorin Gotonoaga (MDA) in the semi final but the Moldovan couldn’t take bronze as he lost to Vinicius Panini (BRA), an experienced Universiade fighter. German Robin Gutsche bested Ivan Petr (CZE) in the bronze medal final. Winner Lee fought 5 matches.

Aimi Nouchi won the gold for women U63kg. The Japanese runner-up of the All Japanese Championships defeated Amina Belkadi of Algeria in the final. Belkadi is the bronze medallist of the African Games who overcame Nadja Bazynski of Germany in the semi final whilst Nouchi defeated Valentina Kostenko who both won bronze.

The gold for women U70kg was won by Barbara Timo of Brazil. After a thriller of a final Timo took over an attack of the Saki Niizoe of Japan. Niizoe seemed to take the match in her advance. She had the better condition but couldn’t express it on the scoreboard with both two penalties. After more than four minutes in the golden score both women were tired but still Timo was very close to a third penalty when she saw the opportunity to take over Niizoe and snatch the gold. It was the third gold medal for Brazil ever at the Universiade; Ketleyn Quadros and Rochele Nunes won gold in 2013 in Kazan.

Kim SeongYeon took the bronze after she bested Sarah Maekelburg (GER) and Carola Paisoni added another medal for Italy after she overcame Mexican Andrea Poo.