Annabelle Euranie stunts at 33 with Grand Slam title

A great stunt in Abu Dhabi by Annabelle Euranie of France taking the Grand Slam gold. A unique performance which put her with 33 years and 66 days in the top of oldest judoka to win a Grand Slam. Still the oldest is Ariel Zeevi who won the Grand Slam of Moscow in 2011 aged 34 years. Second is the oldest woman to win a Grand Slam, Sabrina Filzmoser, in 2014 she was 33 years and 11 months, and she’s was in action today.

European Games silver medallist Annabelle Euranie was the star of the U52kg category as she emerged from a high-quality field to defeat world bronze medallist Erika Miranda in the U52kg final. The French fighter scored ippon after just 26 seconds which guided the Frenchwoman onto the top of the podium as her country won half of the medals on offer in the -52kg category.

In the first semi-final Euranie beat Olympic bronze medallist and compatriot Priscilla Gneto (FRA) by a yuko. In the second semi-final world double world champion Majlinda Kelmendi of Kosovo was stunned by Miranda as she was beaten for the first time since the 2013 European Championships. Miranda went in front by a waza-ari with exactly two minutes to go and then ended the 44-fight win-streak of the Kosovo hero by submitting her with shime-waza.

The first bronze medal was clinched by Kelmendi who showed no emotion as she left the tatami having beaten Tyumen Grand Slam bronze medallist Mareen Kraeh (GER) but having lost her unbeaten record in her previous contest. Kraeh could not break down Kelmendi who was tentative rather than imposing as she made sure there was no repeat of her semi-final slip. Three shido penalties were given to Kraeh while Kelmendi was penalised once and the flag Kosovo could still be raised at the IPIC Arena. The second bronze medal was won by Gneto a week after her younger sister Astride took bronze at the Junior World Championships in the same venue. Gneto stopped 22-year-old Karolina Pienkowska (POL) from gracing an IJF medal podium for the first time on shido penalties (1:2) after the most promising attempt from the French fighter, a koshi-jime strangle effort, was gamely resisted by the Polish fighter.