Julia Figueroa books first Spanish victory at Grand Slam

Julia Figueroa of Spain won her first IJF gold medal on Saturday as she dispatched former European bronze medallist Kristina Rumyantseva (RUS) in the U48kg final. Not just Figueroa’s first Grand Slam victory, but also Spain’s first victory ever in a Grand Slam.

The Spanish fighter fought and defeated three Russian judoka to issue a statement of intent in the last senior IJF event before the World Championships. Rumyantseva, who won bronze at the Russian Grand Slam in 2012, had the chance to win her country’s first gold medal of the Grand Slam, but Figueroa still had to measure of the home judoka at the third time of asking as she trapped her opponent in osaekomi for 20 seconds and the gold medal.          

Winner Figueroa said: “I am very happy to win gold, this was my first Grand Slam final. All three Russian judoka I fought were very tough. Now I will think of the World Championships as that is next for me.”

In the first semi-final Rumyantseva bested teammate and Budapest Grand Prix bronze medallist Nataliya Kondratyeva (RUS) by ippon after just 46 seconds as the home crowd found out who would be their representative in a Tyumen Grand Slam final. In the second semi-final the gutsy Figueroa, who was described by her coach An as one of the most hard working judoka he has ever worked with, went the distance with the World Judo Masters and European Games bronze medallist Irina Dolgova (RUS). Despite both judoka cancelling each other out, the initial four minutes were lively and an exciting conclusion was anticipated in golden score. Teenager Dolgova was thrown with a left morote-seoi-nage for a yuko and the Spaniard Figueroa guaranteed her first Grand Slam medal.

The first bronze medal was awarded to 19-year-old Dolgova who defeated Baku Grand Slam winner Monica Ungureanu (ROU) who had started the day as the top seed. The Russian youngster won her first medal at one of the IJF’s five Grand Slams – and on home soil - in golden score by a yuko and that memory is something that will stay with her for the first of her career. The second bronze medal was won by former Qingdao Grand Prix winner Alesya Kuznetsova (RUS) who defeated former Baku Grand Slam bronze medallist Kondratyeva with a breathaking illustration of her ne-waza prowess. Kuznetsova stepped onto a Grand Slam podium for the first time as she came from behind to score a yuko, a waza-ari and then held down her compatriot for 15 seconds to win by wazari-awasette-ippon.