Kokoro Kageura ends Budapest Grand Prix with heavyweight gold

The Budapest Grand Prix’s men’s heavyweight crown went to Japan and Paris Grand Slam winner Kageura Kokoro who eventually found a way to defeat European Championships bronze medallist Stephan Hegyi (AUT) in golden score to claim Japan’s ninth gold medal in Budapest.

While the Japanese applied more and more pressure, Junior Worlds runner-up Hegyi, stood firm and did not let the world number 12 through. In golden score Kageura threw his young Austrian rival with a harai-makikomi for a waza-ari score and +100kg gold.

In the first semi-final Tunis Grand Prix bronze medallist Ruslan Shakhbazov (RUS) fell to Hegyi by a waza-ari score. In the second semi-final Kageura found a way past The Hague Grand Prix winner Roy Meyer (NED) by way of a waza-ari score after countering an uchi-mata.

The first bronze medal was won by Meyer who beat Belgrade European Cup winner Zarko Culum (SRB). Dutch powerhouse Meyer sent Culum over with a ouchi-gari for a waza-ari and applied an armlock to win by ippon.

The second bronze medal went to former European silver medallist Adam Okruashvili (GEO) who outscored Shakhbazov in added time. Okruashvili led by a waza-ari score from a makikomi throw before Shakhbazov caught the Georgian for a waza-ari. After 24 seconds of golden score Okruashvili sent his opponent through the air and flat on his back with force for ippon.