Unexpected gold for Turkey as Akbulut beats Ceric

Turkish youngster Sebile Akbulut gave the hosts their second gold medal in as many days as she conquered Larisa Ceric (BIH). Turkey finished third in the medal table of the Grand Prix in Antalya with an excellent haul of four medals with two gold, two bronze

 World number 138 Akbulut finished fifth here a year ago, found a way past Ceric. European U23 Championships bronze medallist Akbulut beat Ekaterinburg Grand Slam winner Ceric for the first time with an ouchi-gari which scored a waza-ari and the home judoka held on for her first medal in IJF surroundings. 

In the first semi-final Ceric defeated 20-year-old Agadir Grand Prix bronze medallist Anna Gushchina (RUS) by ippon to take her expected place in the women’s heavyweight final. In the second semi-final Akbulut profited from an error-strewn display by Tunis Grand Prix bronze medallist Galyna Tarasova (UKR) who received three shidos and was disqualified.

The first bronze medal was awarded to Tarasova who beat former Junior European Championships bronze medallist Iuliia Lianichenko (RUS) by ippon at the halfway point. Lianichenko had to settle for fifth-place on her first senior IJF start as Ukraine’s number three at +78kg Tarasova won her second Grand Prix medal.

The second bronze medal was won by Gushchina who outworked 18-year-old Junior Asian Championships winner Kamila Berlikash (KAZ). Russia won their second tilt at +78kg bronze thanks to Gushchina who produced a waza-ari score with a ko-uchi-gari as the Kazakh finished a respectable fifth on her inaugural appearance on the IJF circuit.