Terrific Toth wins fifth Grand Prix title

Toth Krisztian of Hungary chalked up a fifth Grand Prix win and his second in his homeland with a battling display in the -90kg category. Former world silver medallist Toth faced world bronze medallist Ushangi Margiani (GEO) in the gold medal contest and matched his 2017 win over the Georgian to send the home faithful into raptures.

The Hungarian ace joined teammate Ungvari Miklos as a home winner at Budapest 2018 and both men will be leading hopes for their country in Baku. Toth clinched gold by a waza-ari score from a seoi-nage and after being awarded the final, he posed with his adoring supporters for pictures and had his hand raised by the mascot Judoggy who craved the spotlight alongside Hungary’s player of the day.

In the first semi-final Margiani bested Ekaterinburg Grand Slam winner Aleksandar Kukolj (SRB) by ippon. In the second semi-final European Championships bronze medallist Nikoloz Sherazadishvili (ESP) finished second best against Toth who scored a waza-ari with 14 seconds left which was the only score of the contest.

The first bronze medal was won by Pan American Championships winner Ivan Felipe Silva Morales (CUB) who squeezed past Sherazadishvili by the slender margin of a single waza-ari from a uchi-mata.  

The second bronze medal went to world number one Kukolj who beat Tunis Grand Prix bronze medallist David Klammert (CZE) by a score of two waza-ari to one. With 30 seconds to go the scoreboard had a waza-ari apiece until the Serbian loaded his Czech rival onto his hip and over for a medal-winning score.