Manuel Lombardo tanks confidence in Zagreb

It was former world number one U66kg Manuel Lombardo who captured the gold medal on Saturday in Zagreb’s Grand Prix. The Italian executed Umayev unceremoniously. The second, Daniel Cargnin. The Brazilian defeated Hojak and met Lombardo in the semi-finals. Above, the Cuban Magdiel Estrada, who came hot from Budapest, met with the Korean Eunkyul Lee for a place in the final. Lombardo easily won, and so did Estrada. Everything was set for the last contest.

Italian Lombardo came back in the Tour in a big way with an anthological ippon at thirteen seconds. The category is not a country for old men, well, not for everyone, some endure with elegance and power.

Brazil secured a second bronze medal thanks to the confrontation between Medeiros and Cargnin. The second began as the favourite, but since they know each other perfectly, the best thing was to wait and see without risking any forecast. Cargnin stunned Medeiros with a sweep that turned into waza-ari, completing the victory with ippon seconds later. It was nice and logical.

Hojak and Lee was something else. Korean Lee did not mind participating in his first final block in a grand prix. He went out on to the mat as if it were the most normal thing in the world and that is how medals are won. Hojak already had two, in principle he had more experience. It was a rough fight, with chances on both sides. Lee made the master move because he scored waza-ari with five seconds left, like a confirmed champion.

Last weekend in Budapest, Hidayet Heydarov defeated the current world champion and number one in the ranking, Lasha Shavdatuashvili, in the final of Grand Slam Hungary. Seven days later in Zagreb Grand Prix Heydarov was eliminated by the Belgian promise Abdul Malik Umayev, who crushed him with two unappealable waza-ari.

Shavdatuashvili fell with a crash in the third round to Pedro Medeiros, who scored two waza-ari to none from the world champion. Rustam Orujov was buried by the Slovenian Martin Hojak.