World number one Sumiya Dorjsuren defeats title defender Roper

It was Miryam Roper who wanted to defend her title of Qingdao in style and she was close to retain the title. World number one Sumiya Dorjsuren came back strong this time and despite Roper’s four victories, now it was the World ranking leader who snatched the gold and regained her title of 2012.

If she had several disillusions over the past events, one thing is for sure, it is that Miryam Roper of Germany  will never give up. The 33-year-old German is still a strong contender for international podiums and once again she entered the final to face the world number one Dorjsuren Sumiya. What is always amazing is that everyone knows that Roper’s special movement is ko-soto-gake, but still, after a few seconds she was able to score a first yuko with a precise… ko-soto-gake. But the winner of the 2015 World Judo Masters also scored a yuko with a drop-seoi-nage and it was clear that Roper would have difficulties to reply. Dorjsuren engaged another drop-seoi-nage for waza-ari this time that she followed on the floor with an immobilisation for ippon.

Both Japanese athletes Tamaoki Momo (JPN) and Yamamoto Anzu (JPN) qualified for the first bronze medal fight of the women’s -57kg. Only penalties were distributed throughout the fight, which was concluded by a hansokumake (disqualification) for Tamaoki for a leg grabbing technique, offering the medal to Yamamoto.

In the second bronze medal fight, it was another experienced athlete who qualified against the local Liu Yang, as Sabrina Filzmoser was again present in the final block of a World Judo Tour event. Leading with a yuko, obtained with a counterattack, the Austrian was easily controlling her opponent and was almost able to immobilise her. But a ‘matte’ (stop) and ‘hajime’ (start) later, it was the Chinese who was taking control over Filzmoser with a pin for yuko. Finally the victory went to the Chinese as the Austrian was penalised earlier during the fight. Never wipe out Liu Yang in Qingdao, she won her fourth Grand Prix medal in the Chinese harbour city since 2011.

Dorjsuren is definitely among the favourites for the Olympic title next year. It was Dorjsuren who defeated current World Champion Kaori Matsumoto this year in Ulaanbaatar, why not in Rio.