Golden Ilia Sulamanidze crowned in Baku

Although he is already world number one, Ilia Sulamanidze (GEO) is only 22 years old and has his whole life ahead of him. He owes this world number one position to constantly improving results, even if the big senior consecration is still to come. The obvious seed here in Baku, he had a place to hold and he did it magnificently by qualifying for the final.

We will remember in pool B of the category, the contest between the Swiss Daniel Eich and Nikoloz Sherazadashvili (ESP). It was the double world champion (in lower category) returning to competition who won. Sherazadashvili seemed well off the starting blocks but in the next round he met a surprising Aurélien Diesse (FRA). The latter won, ruining the Spaniard's hopes of regaining his best level. In the next round the Frenchman was still talked about. Thrown after only eleven seconds by an explosive Aaron Fara (AUT), the contest seemed over. However, the video clearly indicated that Fara had used a direct 'bear hug,’ which is not allowed. The initial ippon was logically changed to shido. Everything had to be redone.

This gave a boost of energy to Diesse who scored a superb waza-ari with a makikomi before immobilising his disappointed opponent. In the semi-final, Diesse could do nothing against the power of Ilia Sulamanidze who advanced to the final.

Double world champion Jorge Fonseca, after several events without results, had a good start against Leonardo Goncalves of Brazil but in the quarter-final he met Matvey Kanikovskiy (AIN) who was on fire the whole day. Still away from his best level, Fonseca gave it all but it was not enough. Defeated, he went through to the repechage, while Kanikovskiy continued on his momentum to reach the final against Sulamanidze.

The two finalists already met five times before today's final, 3-2 for Sulamanidze and it is 4-2 after this contest, won by Sulamanidze with a waza-ari scored just before the end of normal time. Both athletes delivered a great final. Behind with two penalties to his name Kanikovskiy march on to his opponent, who just used the momentum to throw him with a huge koshi-waza. Sulamanidze scores the point, Kanikovskiy shows that he must be counted on.

The first bronze medal contest saw Zlatko Kumric (CRO) vs Zelym Kotsoiev (AZE) entering the arena with the hope of reaching the podium. Kotsoiev gave the crowd what they wanted with a massive counter-attack for ippon. This was a new medal for Azerbaijan and the tenth in a grand slam for Kotsoiev.

Jorge Fonseca (POR) and Aurelien Diesse (FRA) competed for bronze. Diesse played a dangerous game against a thrower like Fonseca, who was definitely the one attacking more, but Diesse was patient and waited until the right moment, when Fonseca, maybe a little out of fuel, was caught on the floor with a rapid turnover for osae-komi. Ippon for Diesse made a good day for the French. -100kg is one of the categories which is far from being decided for the Olympic Games for the French delegation.