Maryna Slutskaya grabs gold for Belarus

Belarussian heavyweight Maryna Slutskaya bested African Championships bronze medallist Hortence Vanessa Mballa Atangana (CMR) in the women’s heavyweight final. Mballa Atangana starred in the preliminary rounds but the final was beyond her as the African contender was penalised three times and was disqualified.

Tashkent Grand Prix bronze medallist Slutskaya topped an IJF Grand Prix medal podium for the third time after Mballa Atangana was reprimanded for going out of the area.

In the first semi-final Mballa Atangana saw off Abu Dhabi Grand Slam silver medallist Anne Fatoumata M Bairo (FRA) by ippon with a seoi-nage after 14 seconds. In the second semi-final Slutskaya downed her fellow Tashkent Grand Prix bronze medallist Yelyzaveta Kalanina (UKR) by a waza-ari score to move on to the final.

The first bronze medal was awarded to world number two Larisa Ceric (BIH) who won bronze at the World Championships in her last competition. Ceric saw Kalanina receive her third penalty for ducking to avoid the grip of her opponent in golden score and the Ukrainian was disqualified.

The second bronze medal was won by world number 16 M Bairo who defeated Antalya Grand Prix bronze medallist Galyna Tarasova (UKR) by ippon from a ko-soto-gake. World number 21 TARASOVA was sent over at the halfway point by M Bairo who is one of a string of Tokyo 2020 hopefuls that France boasts in the +78kg category. The Olympic women’s heavyweight title currently belongs to France and the now retired Emilie Andeol (FRA) and the French federation will be aiming for a repeat in Japan in two years time.