Maike Ziech happy to back with Grand Prix gold

German judoka Maike Ziech captured the gold medal at the Grand Prix in Agadir for women U78kg. Ziech who had never won a medal on the World Judo Tour was opposed to Tashkent Grand Prix winner Anastasiya Turchyn (UKR).

One head shorter than her tall opponent, Ziech was not afraid of entering into the melee with Turchyn, who in the last minute was penalised with a first shido. As nothing was scored, it was time for the golden score and Ziech's attacks became more and more powerful, so Turchyn was penalised a second time. One minute and thirty six seconds into the Golden score, the German received a first shido but she kept attacking and attacking again, forcing Turchyn to be penalised a third time, to win her first Grand Prix gold medal.

In the first bronze medal contest, the 23 year old French woman, Julie Pierret, faced Yarden Mayersohn of Israel, who already had two medals in a Grand Prix, as she was second in Antalya 2017, and third in Tashkent also in 2017. After one minute and forty seconds, both athletes were penalised with a first shido as they stepped outside of the competition area. As the French tried to launch a sumi-gaeshi technique, Yarden Mayersohn anticipated the move of her opponent to control her on the floor and score a ippon with an immobilisation to win the third Grand Prix medal of her career.

In the last bronze medal contest of the category, the second French, Vanessa Dureau, was qualified against the top seeded athlete of the day, Anastasiya Dmitrieva (RUS), who was defeated in the semifinal by Maike Ziech. After one minute, Dureau and Dmitrieva were penalised with a shido for passivity. The Russian was rapidly penalised a second time as the French seemed to impose her grip, but despite that advantage, Dureau was also penalised a second time as she was having both hands on the same side. In the golden score, Dmitrieva was finally awarded the win as Dureau was penalised for stepping out of the competition area. This is the medal number 9 for Anastasiya Dmitrieva in a Grand Prix.