Marta Labazina defeats World Champ Gerbi in Dusseldorf U63 final

The German crowd of 2800 judo enthusiasts saw four weight categories take to the tatami in search of Grand Prix honours. The women’s U63kg saw Israelian World champion Yarden Gerbi to bounce back from an early defeat in Paris by upstaging her U63kg adversaries. The field included world number five Martyna Trajdos, French Paris Grand Slam silver medallist Anne-Laure Bellard and world number three Abe Kana of Japan were among those aiming to deny the Israeli judoka.

Russian European silver medallist Marta Labazina upstaged world champion Yarden Gerbi to capture -63kg gold in Dusseldorf. Gerbi who lost in her first contest in Paris, was thrown for waza-ari from a uki-goshi by the Russian and there was no way back for the Israelian who had also accumulated three shido with two for passivity and one for gripping over the top and not following with an attack. 

In the semi-final Gerbi looked stronger as the contest went on and booked her place in the final by overcoming Germany world number five Martyna Trajdos by ippon with 57 seconds remaining in their previously scoreless contest. Labazina sealed a place in the final by conquering world number four Anicka Van Emden of Holland by ippon after two minutes of golden score.

The first bronze medal was won in style by Van Emden as she ruthlessly dispatched 21-year-old European u23 champion Kathrin Unterwurzacher by ippon from a sasae-tsurikoni-ashi. The second bronze medal was claimed by Tokyo Grand Slam winner ABE Kana (JPN) who held down Trajdos with a kesa-gatame after freeing her left leg from her opponents legs as the German talent failed to neutralise the imminent transition.