Laura Vargas Koch defeats Kim Polling in Abu Dhabi

German judoka Laura Vargas Koch finished in pole position in Abu Dhabi as she beat Dutch European Games winner Kim Polling in the U70kg final. Vargas Koch looked confident walking onto the tatami and attacked from the outset. The Paris Grand Slam runner-up scored a yuko with a ko-uchi-gake before Polling fought her way back to take the lead with two yuko scores. Vargas Koch settled the contest by submitting Polling for a monumental victory with three IJF World Judo Tour events remaining in 2015.

In the first semi-final Polling defeated world number nine Arai Chizuru of Japan by a waza-ari from an ippon seoi-nage while in the second semi-final Vargas Koch bested Tyumen Grand Slam bronze medallist Kelita Zupancic of Canada by ippon with a minute left in their contest.

The first bronze medal was clinched by Katarzyna Klys (POL) who could only be separated from Zupancic after 79 seconds of golden score when the Canadian was penalised for passivity after Klys put in successive attacks without a significant reply. The second bronze medal was won by Arai who shut out Barbara Matic (CRO) to make sure Japan were represented on the medal podium. Arai is Japan’s only athlete in the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam and is part of a three-strong delegation. Arai was joined by the sister act of double Olympic champion and double world champion Ueno Masae as her coach and former double world champion and London 2012 Olympic bronze medallist Ueno Yoshie as her training partner. Arai scored a yuko from an uchi-mata after 75 seconds on the edge of the mat and comfortably contained Matic which is a rare sight on the IJF World Judo Tour.