Edwige Gwend grabs glory from World Champ Gerbi

Former European silver medallist Edwige GWEND (ITA) won her first Grand Prix gold medal at the expense of world champion Yarden GERBI (ISR) who was irresistible in the previous rounds. GWEND, 24 was confident in attack and opened the scoring with a yuko from a determined ouchi-gari and went back to the same technique to add a waza-ari. The 24-year-old raised her hands in the air to celebrate as fighting champion GERBI stayed on her back on the tatami knowing she didn’t do herself justice in the final.

In the first semi-final GERBI ruthlessly disposed of Almaty Grand Prix bronze medallist Nina MILOSEVIC (SLO) by ippon with a minute left to go having edged in front with a yuko from a uchi-mata. At the same stage GWEND defeated Casablanca African Open bronze medallist Hannah MARTIN (USA) by ippon with 46 seconds left on the clock.

The first bronze medal was won by former Junior European Championships bronze medallist Pari SURAKATOVA (RUS) who dispatched world number 11 MARTIN in her first attack after just 15 seconds for ippon. The second bronze medal was claimed by MILOSEVIC who profited from the inactivity of her opponent and World Military Championships bronze medallist Andreja DAKOVIC (CRO) who received four shido penalties for passivity to receive hansoku-make.