Extraordinary technique for Bozbayev to grab the gold medal

The first men's final of the third day of the Grand Prix in Tunis was no surprise as top seed and 2014 world silver medallist Toth Krisztian (HUN) was opposed to number two and Baku Grand Slam winner in 2017, Islam Bozbayev (KAZ). The first attack came from Bozbayev who applied a masterpiece of tai-otoshi, like the one you learn at the judo club for a perfect ippon. With a great deal of fairplay, Toth congratulated him at the end of the contest.

The first match for the bronze medal saw 2014 world junior champion Rafael Macedo (BRA) and David Klammert (CZE), never a medalist at a world circuit event, competing for a podium finish. Klammert executed a beautiful utsuri-goshi for a perfect ippon, winning his first ever Grand Prix medal.

With thirteen medals won on the world judo tour, Noel Van ‘t End (NED) is a regular at major judo events. But after a mediocre year in 2017 (one bronze medal at the Grand Slam of Russia) he was in Tunis to relaunch what he expects to be a better season. For the bronze medal he was opposed to Frazer Chamberlain (GBR) who has so far only won medals at the continental level. Half way to the end, nothing was scored but Van ‘t End to his side when Chamberlain was penalized twice. But then the Dutch launched a aerial piece of sode-tsuri-komi-goshi for ippon, transformed into a waza-ari as the landing was not flat on the back. With thirty seconds left on the scoreboard, Noel Van ‘t End flipped over Chamberlain to catch him with an immobilisation for ippon. This was the eighth medal on a Grand Prix for Van ‘t End.