Quick victory for Yuki Hashimoto in Tokyo final

At the Grand Slam of Tokyo World Championships bronze medallist Hashimoto Yuki had the edge over World Championships silver medallist Erika Miranda in the -52kg final. Paris Grand Slam winner Hashimoto wasted no time in asserting herself in the contest and after 29 seconds she caught the accomplished Brazilian with an ouchi-gari for ippon.

Hashimoto booked her place in the final by defeating world number four Jaana Sundberg (FIN) in the semi-final. The Japanese fighter went ahead after 15 seconds with a waza-ari and sealed victory with a mune-gatame for wazari-awasette-ippon in a clinical performance. In the second semi-final MIRANDA reigned supreme against world number five Andreea CHITU (ROU). Both judoka were penalised with a shido for continually going out of the competition area in the opening minute and that established an event contest until the last 30 seconds when the Brazilian threw the Romanian with a koshi-guruma.

The first bronze medal was clinched by 19-year-old Shishime Ai (JPN) who defeated Moscow Grand Slam winner Sundberg. Shishime countered a tomoe-nage attempt with osaekomi-waza for a waza-ari score but the Finnish judoka replied with a yuko from a yoko-tomoe-nage. The Japanese judoka was penalised with a shido for passivity but there was no additional scores as she comfortably maintained her advantage. The second bronze medal was awarded to Chitu who conquered World Team Championships silver medallist Eleudis Valemtim (BRA) with an ouchi-gari for ippon after two minutes of action.