Momo Tamaoki doesn't surprise with another victory over Liparteliani

In the last category of the first day in Tashkent’s Grand Slam, Eteri Liparteliani (GEO) reached the final. The junior world champion in 2019, is seeded number one and her power and ability to throw are well known. In the final she was opposed to the Japanese Momo Tamaoki, who was junior world champion in 2014. Both were the two favourites who competed for the gain of the gold medal.

Leading 2-0 in the head to head match in favour of the Japanese judoka, Liparteliani had the chance to turn the tide. She did put pressure on Tamaoki but we all know the power of the Japanese team when it comes to ne-waza. For sure Liparteliani knew it too but she couldn't do anything to avoid the beautiful piece of groundwork produced by Tamaoki, who took her leg out to pin Liparteliani for ippon and win gold for Japan.

The first match for a bronze medal was between Akari Omori (JPN) and Veronica Toniolo (ITA), who is now trying to make the turn from the cadets and the juniors, where she performed particularly well, to the World Judo Tour. Already fifth in a grand slam last year in Tbilisi, the Italian had here the opportunity to climb a step. There was clearly a difference in power between Omori and Toniolo but Toniolo tried and she tried hard to find any solution within the strange defence of her opponent. With only a few seconds remaining and as the golden score was approaching, Omori launched a massive soto-makikomi and followed with an immobilisation for ippon and so it was bronze for Omori.

In the second match for a bronze medal, Pauline Starke (GER) and Chen-Ling Lien (TPE) faced off. Both competitors being left-handed, it seemed clear that from the start Lien felt really uncomfortable. The match went on with only shido displayed on the scoreboard. After 35 seconds of golden score, Starke who was controlling her opponent well engaged a surprising right o-soto-gari that drove Lien on to her side for a waza-ari and the bronze medal.