Four-time Grand Slam winner Ruika Sato upsets world champion

Ruika Sato Ruika if Japan topped a Grand Prix medal podium for the first time with a win over world champion Mayra Aguiar (BRA) in the -78kg final. Düsseldorf Grand Slam winner Sato is a four-time Grand Slam winner and at the seventh attempt made her breakthrough on the Grand Prix stage.

Sato broke the deadlock with an osoto-gari which earned a waza-ari and then held down her foe with a kesa-gatame for an important win which installs her as Japan’s number one judoka at -78kg.

In the first semi-final Aguiar defeated four-time Grand Prix medallist Sama Hawa Camara (FRA) by ippon to book a place in the final. In the second semi-final former Pan American Championships winner Samanta Soares (BRA) fell to Sato by ippon having been penalised three times.

The first bronze medal contest was won by Soares who secured her first Grand Prix medal with an impressive win over former Tokyo Grand Slam silver medallist Park Yujin (KOR). Brazil’s Soares threw her opponent with a tai-otoshi for a waza-ari score whuich was the only time the scoreboard was called upon.

The second bronze medal was won by world number 24 Camara who scored twice against World Judo Masters bronze medallist Karen Stevenson (NED) without reply. France’s CAMARA took the lead with a osoto-makikomi for a waza-ari and then settled it by ippon with the same technique.