Ramazan Abdulaev again amazing and medal contender at the Games

The U60kg final at the Qazaqstan Barysy Grand Slam 2024 ended swiftly, with Ramazan Abdulaev (AIN) securing victory over top seed Yung-Wei Yang in just 42 seconds. Abdulaev's aggressive ne-waza tactics led to a juji-gatame submission, earning him his third grand slam gold medal and a coveted seeded position in the Olympic rankings.

In the repechage, Carlino defeated Michel Augusto (BRA) with a soto-makikomi, earning his first IJF World Tour bronze medal. Smetov clinched the second bronze, dominating Yusifov with floor techniques, ultimately securing a yoko-shiho-gatame for the win, keeping his Olympic dreams alive.

Abdulaev's journey to the final included defeating Abu Dhabi Grand Slam 2023 silver medallist Matheus Takaki (BRA) with a kata-gatame submission. In the final against Smetov, Abdulaev capitalized on a ko-uchi-gari for a waza-ari, securing victory despite Smetov's efforts.

Earlier, the host nation's Magzhan Shamshadin faced disappointment, losing to Nazir Talibov (AZE) in a thrilling contest. Shamshadin initially took the lead with an o-uchi-gari, but Talibov countered with a tai-otoshi, forcing the match into golden score. In a dramatic turn, Talibov countered Shamshadin's soto-makikomi attempt to score ippon, ending Shamshadin's bid for gold in front of the home crowd.

Meanwhile, Smetov showcased clinical throws against Rodrigo Costa Lopes (POR) and Younes Saddiki (MAR) before facing Abdulaev in the quarter-final. Despite Smetov's skill, Abdulaev's relentless attacks secured him the victory and a place in the final.