Khadizha Gadashova cashes gold for Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan is the absolute medal catcher of the Cadet World Championships. However the gold medal is very rare, so far there was only one world champion in history of Azerbaijan but on the second day in Zagreb Khadizha Gadashova captured the world title in the women’s class U52kg.

In a very close final, it was Alyssia Poulange who seemed to hold her nerve better, allowing the Azeri space to attack, without all the required elements, more often, while ensuring she attacked enough herself and also kept control in ne-waza. It was a good plan, especially with such a strong opponent. At 1:37 into golden score, the French athlete turned Gadashova over and held, catching the osaekomi, albeit for only a couple of seconds before the Azeri escaped. It was at that point that Poulange appeared to tire and she began to apply false attacks and at 2:48 into extra time came very close to being thrown with a semi-gaeshi. It was then 2:1 on penalties in favour of Gadashova. After a total of 7 minutes and 13 seconds Gadashova dropped underneath with a seoi-otoshi and rolled Poulange for waza-ari to take the gold.

Alyssia Poulange (FRA) was the big name at U52 kg. She is the current European cadet champion and has medalled at every event she has entered this year. She is making perfect progress having won bronze at last year’s continentals and placed 7th at the 2022 worlds. To get to the quarter-final she had to pass her teammate Alicia Marques, also seeded, and pass her she did.

Egyptian Nada Fayiz Ali was the number two seed of the category but she feel at the first hurdle to Korean Jiho Baek. The Korean then lost to Toszegi (GER) who made it to the semi-final without too much of a problem.

In their respective semi-finals, Poulange beat strong Spanish opposition in the name of Adriana Saez Hevia, who then dropped into the bronze medal contest to face Brazilian Rafaela Rodrigues, while Toszegi lost to Khadizha Gadashova (AZE) to then have to take on Marques for the bronze after the French athlete won her repechage final against Georgieva (BUL).

The first bronze went to the German when she felt exactly the right moment, perhaps against the tide, to put in an enormous seoi-nage, which scored ippon, without question. She released an equally enormous smile and deservingly so.

Spain are having an excellent day in the women’s categories. Following the victory of Diaz Hernandez in the lighter category, Saez Hevia won herself a world bronze medal, leading her medal match throughout, forcing her opponent to collect two shido and eventually throwing for waza-ari too.