Kim Won Jin takes first Masters title

Taipei medal promise Yang Yung Wei pushed the doors to the final against Kim Won Jin (KOR), winner of the Tel Aviv Grand Prix in 2020. These two athletes have remained on the top level among the world’s competitors. Yang Yung Wei took silver at the Düsseldorf Grand Slam in 2020 and his final in Doha was a confirmation of his development.

What characterised nearly three quarters of the final was the stability which the two athletes prevented loss, neither seeming to be able to endanger his opponent, before Kim finally succeeded in throwing Yang strongly, with speed and on his back with control, for a magnificent ippon via ura-nage (counterattack).

In the light weight category times were difficult for the favourites, as many of them, like Robert Mshvidobadze (RUS), Francisco Garrigos (ESP), Sharafuddin Lutfillaev (UZB) or Yeldos Smetov (KAZ) were quickly eliminated, opening boulevards to outsiders. Kim Won Jin enters the top 10 with his victory in Doha and is ambitious to get back to the number one position, that he held in 2015 and 2016.

The first bronze medal was contested by Tornike Tsjkadoea (NED) and Walide Khyar (FRA), but due to an injury Khyar could not compete and the bronze medal went to Tsjkadoea.

In the second contest for a bronze medal, the two Russians, Albert Oguzov (RUS) and Yago Abuladze (RUS), found themselves in a fratricidal match. Oguzov scored two waza-ari, the first with an opportunist’s de-ashi-barai and the second from a hip movement, winning his first medal at that level.

The new approach of safe judo, was brought out of no other choice, but what seemed impossible a few months ago is now possible again and with success.