Mirali Sharipov pleases home crowd

Uzbek Mirali Sharipov won the Tashkent Grand Prix for a second time as he overwhelmed Junior World Championships bronze medallist Nuno Saraiva (POR) in the -73kg final. The 21-year-old Portuguese judoka had no way out from a tate-shiho-gatame and remained pinned to the tatami for 20 seconds by Sharipov. The world number 59 beat the world number 81 inside 45 seconds to send the crowd into raptures – as he did in 2013 - while Saraiva will be content with his day’s work having won his first IJF senior medal.

In the first semi-final former world silver medallist Hong Kuk Hyon (PRK) fell to Sharipov who was dynamic on the ground as he neatly transitioned and turned to shime-waza to humble his opponent with one minute and 24 seconds left. In the second semi-final Saraiva stopped all domestic hopes of an all-Uzbek final as he bested Minsk European Open bronze medallist Giyosjon Boboyev (UZB) by a yuko and was good value for the result in a high pressured and atmospheric environment for the newcomer to the IJF World Judo Tour. 

The first bronze medal was clinched by Boboyev who won his country’s first medal on day two with victory over Tyumen Grand Slam bronze medallist Igor Wandtke (GER). Boboyev scored a waza-ari from an uchi-mate with two minutes gone and Wandtke could not contain or threaten the Uzbek judoka who was roared on to victory by the home faithful. The second bronze medal was won by Hong who returned to winning ways as he beat Romanian European Open silver medallist Dmytro Kanivets (UKR) by ippon after 45 seconds.