Ryuju Nagayama unstoppable for tenth Grand Slam gold

Ryuju Nagayama captured his tenth Grand Slam gold medal. He defended his last year’s title with success in the final Romain Valadier Picard of France. Japanese champion Nagayama scored a first waza-ari with an aerial uchi-mata and double it with a te-waza-counter-attack to grab his 10th title at Grand Slam level. Romain Valadier Picard, recent winner in Austria, at the first Upper Austria Grand Prix had a good day though and defeated Lee Ha-Rim in the semi final. Ramazan Abdulaev (AIN), who then went to the semi-finals, where he found himself opposed by the Japanese of the day, the 2015 junior world champion and already a winner here in Mongolia last year, Ryuju Nagayama.

The first bronze medal contest saw Nurkanat Serikbayev (KAZ) and Harim Lee (KOR) facing off. The normal time was a collection of acrobatic attacks coming from both sides but neither Serikbayev nor Lee could score. When the golden score period began Serikbayev was under pressure though, as he had two shido to his name. The third penalty was not long from being given, offering the bronze medal to Lee.

Ramazan Abdulaev (AIN) and Sumiyabazar Enkhtaivan (MGL) competed in the second bronze medal contest. It was tense and intense. With two shido apiece, it was difficult to say who would would come off the tatami as the winner, but unfortunately Sumiyabazar Enkhtaivan did a head dive and was therefore logically disqualified and so it was bronze for Abdulaev.