Five contests, five ippons for Canada’s new champion Christa Deguchi

Paris Grand Slam winner Christa Deguchi of Canada won her fourth event in 2018 as she defeated teammate and Pan American Championships bronze medallist Jessica Klimkait also from Canada for U57kg gold at the Grand Prix in Hohhot. A dream final for Canada and for the international world the first signs that any country has a chance to raise new talents even in the same category.

Deguchi, 22, won their one previous meeting in the Pan American Championships semi-finals in April, and has been in scintillating form since debuting for Canada late last year having formerly represented Japan. Klimkait submitted to a strangle as Canada won their first and second medal of the competition in the same contest. Judo Canada have two world-class judoka at their disposal at -57kg and after scoring five ippons in five contests Deguchi finds herself in pole position in the race for Tokyo 2020.

In the first semi-final three-time Grand Slam bronze medallist Tamaoki Momo (JPN) lost out to Deguchi by ippon. In the second semi-final Klimkait defeated World Judo Masters bronze medallist Kwon Youjeong (KOR) by ippon to book an all-Canadian final.

The first bronze medal was won by world number 10 Kwon who scored twice to beat world number 225 Zhang Wen (CHN). Home judoka ZHANG defeated Kim Jandi (KOR), Lien Chen-Ling (TPE) and Timna Nelson Levy (ISR) with a defeat to Christa Deguchi (CAN) sandwiched in the middle of her day. Once again the Chinese was very unlucky to finish outside of the medals as Tunis Grand Prix silver medallist Kwon boosted her country’s growing medal haul in Hohhot.

The second bronze medal was won by Tamaoki who saw off Düsseldorf Grand Slam silver medallist Karakas Hedvig (HUN) by ippon. Tamaoki countered a sutemi-waza attempt from her Hungarian opponent for ippon in the penultimate contest on day one at the Hohhot Grand Prix 2018.