Irina Zabludina surprises the opposition U57kg

At the final U57kg in Samsun, Dusseldorf Grand Prix bronze medallist Irina Zabludina (RUS) bested Jeju Grand Prix bronze medallist Jovana Rogic (SRB) to take the honours in the -57kg category. Both judo were penalised with a shido for passivity after 25 seconds and 20 seconds later the contest was over as Zabludina locked on the juji-gatame to force Rogic to submit.

In the first semi-final ROGIC (SRB) narrowly defeated the vastly-experienced Kifayat GASIMOVA (AZE) by two shido penalties as her opponent emerged with an unblemished record. In the second semi-final ZABLUDINA (RUS) defeated 19-year-old Ulaanbaatar Grand Prix bronze medallist ALTAI Batzul (MGL) by a shido to advance to contest the -57kg final.

The first bronze medal was won by Jeju Grand Prix bronze medallist Shushana HEVONDIAN (UKR) who inflicted a second straight defeat on the unclucky ALTAI by ippon from a sasae-tsurikomi-ashi. The second bronze medal was won GASIMOVA who had too much experience for 22-year-old world bronze medallist Vlora BEDETI (SLO). The 31-year-old opened the scoring with a yuko but immediately decreased her work rate to protect her lead and in process accumulated three shido penalties for passivity but there was to be no comeback for the Slovenian youngster.