Japan's Takanori Nagase books another world level victory

With the unexpected elimination of the current world champion, Avtandili Tchrikishvili (GEO), in semi-final, and of French Loic Pietri in the first round, the -81kg category proposed a lot of surprises to the large public present today in the stadium. The final opposed the 2009 world champion, Ivan Nifontov (RUS) and the winner of the last edition of the Tokyo Grand Slam, Nagase Takanori (JPN). The Japanese concluded this second day of competition with an immobilisation for ippon.

The first bronze medal fight opposed Roman Moustopoulos (GRE) and the conqueror of Loïc Pietri, Sergiu Toma (UAE), who just lost his semi-final by shido in the golden score. The first to score a yuko to take the lead was Toma,, who confirmed his advantage with a superb uchi-mata for waza-ari this time, and a yuko with sumi-gaeshi. The last penalties given to TOMA did not change the result and he could celebrate his bronze medal.

The second bronze medal fight was a remake of the last world championships final as Antoine Valois-Fortier (CAN) and Avtandili Tchrikishvili (GEO) faced off for the right to step on the podium. The Canadian received the first penalty, before the Georgian scored a yuko. Despite the pressure that Valois-Fortier put on the shoulders of TCHRIKISHVILI, he could not score and the medal went on the Georgian’s shoulders.