Russia’s Zankishiev breaks into the world’s top eight

World number eight Kazbek Zankishiev (RUS) became a two-time Grand Prix winner on the last day of The Hague Grand Prix as he saw off surprise finalist Hohhot Grand Prix bronze medallist Joakim Dvarby (SWE). The Russian is a notorious slow starter and both his scores in the final came in the last 45 seconds as Dvarby more than held his own up to that point. An osoto-gari started the scoring and was worth a waza-ari before a sode-tsurikomi-goshi added a second waza-ari and Zankishiev was awarded the win after four minutes.

In the first semi-final world number one Michael Korrel (NED) was shocked by Dvarby who countered the Dutchman with a ko-soto-gake for ippon with 42 seconds left. Korrel had been in the charge of the contest and piled on the pressure, with Dvarby having two shidos, but the Swede took his chance to deliver one of the biggest upsets on day three. In the second semi-final Zankishiev (RUS) drove past 19-year-old Grand Prix debutant Jelle Snippe (NED) by ippon from an emphatic osoto-gari after two minutes. 

The first bronze medal was won by Snippe who beat former world bronze medallist Ivan Remarenco (UAE) to mark his IJF World Judo Tour debut with a place on the medal podium. The Dutchman rolled over Remarenco for a waza-ari and immediately applied a tate-shiho-gatame hold from which the U.A.E veteran tapped out.                                                    

The second bronze medal went to Korrel who was patient against 23-year-old Ferdinand Ansah (NED) to take a scoreless contest. Korrel was too patient it proved as he was surprisingly forced into golden score but Ansah picked up a third shido after 41 seconds for passivity to send the world number one onto the podium in his homeland.

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