French flyer Amandine Buchard prolongs Tbilisi Grand Prix title

French judoka Amandine Buchard won her fourth Grand Prix gold medal with a dominant win over Agadir Grand Prix winner Evelyne Tschopp (SUI). The 22-year-old former U48kg judoka and Paris Grand Slam silver medallist now has five wins over Tschopp without ever tasting defeat at the hands of the Swiss.

World number three Amandine Buchard extended her medal-winning run to four consecutive events to close in on the world lead. The French judoka won by waza-ari-awasette-ippon and will be the judoka to watch at U52kg in the 2018 European Championships.

In the first semi-final Buchard defeated 19-year-old IJF World Judo Tour newcomer Zhadyra Amirtayeva (KAZ) by ippon having first led by a waza-ari score. In the second semi-final world number 13 Angelica Delgado (USA) was thrown for a waza-ari by Tschopp (SUI) and the American was then held down for 10 seconds as the Swiss judoka won by waza-ari-awasette-ippon.

The first bronze medal was awarded to Agadir Grand Prix bronze medallist Gulbadam Babamuratova (TKM) who tapped out Delgado from an unorthodox position. Two-time Grand Prix bronze medallist Delgado was forced to submit to the Turkmenistan judoka who won her sixth career Grand Prix medal by ippon.

The second bronze medal was won by Tunis Grand Prix bronze medallist Anja Stangar (SLO) who defeated Amirtayeva by ippon from a hold down. Stangar was a comfortable winner by ippon in a one-sided contest and the 20-year-old Slovenian could be among the wildcards for the European Championships next month.