GuHam Cho builds momentum towards the World Championships

Cho Guham of Korea showed his World Championships title ambitions as he swept through a world-class field to finally defeat The Hague Grand Prix winner Kazbek Zankishiev (RUS) in the U100kg final. Both judoka were fighting for a third Grand Prix gold medal and it was the Korean Tokyo Grand Slam winner who reigned supreme to become one of the leading contenders for World gold in Baku this year.

Former heavyweight Cho, who moved down a category in 2014, threw Zankishiev in golden score ippon seoi-nage for the maximum score and gold in Inner Mongolia.

In the first semi-final world number 46 Grigori Minaskin (EST) was second best against Cho as he fell by a waza-ari score which was the only score of the contest. In the second semi-final Zankishiev bested Tashkent Grand Prix winner Ramadan Darwish (EGY) by a waza-ari to advance the gold medal contest in the final block.

The first bronze medal was won by two-time world silver medallist at the weight below Nishiyama Daiki (JPN) who outworked Darwish. In the closing seconds the Egyptian, who was behind to a waza-ari score, was penalised for the third time in a below-par performance.  

The second bronze medal went to the Hague Grand Prix silver medallist Joakim Dvarby (SWE) who held down Minaskin for ippon.