Baruch Shmailov awards Israeli fans with gold in Jerusalem

Baruch Shmailov gave the Israeli supporters what they wanted. In a brutish final against French Daikii Bouba he clained the gold medal, the first for Israel at the first day of the IJF Judo masters. Israel is a country of judo, no doubt.. Israel home fighter Baruch Shmailov brought joy at the tribunes by showing a golden performance at the IJF Masters in Jerusalem.

Shmailov won his pool and youngster Bouba surprisingly defeated Baskhuu Yondonperenlei in the quarter final and Sardor Nurillaev in the semies. Shmailov defeated world number one Denis Vieru.

French lightweight Shirine Boukli captured the victory U48kg. In the final she overcame Japanese talent Wakana Koga. It is the first time that a French judoka won the gold at the Masters U48kg as Japan won six times, Krasniqi on her own three times and Munkhbat of Mongolia won in 2015.

Kosovo captured a gold medal when Distria Krasniqi defeated world runner-up Chelsie Giles of Great Britain. It was Krasniqi’s fourth victory at the masters and her first in the category U52kg. Giles defeated Krasniqi at the World Championships this year in the semi final.

The Koreans remain strong in the men’s lightweight class where Lee Ha-Rim won the gold. He became successor of Kim Won-Jin who won in 2021 in Doha. Lee defeated Ryuju Nagayama who won the masters in 2017 in St. Petersburg, but this time finished with silver.

Christa Deguchi seems back at her dominant position with a victory at the masters. The Canadian was declared the winner when her opponent Cysique forfeited due to an injury.