Trstenjak’s last defeat came against Trajdos in the Baku 2015 European Games final, and despite starting at a high tempo, her German opponent refused to panic and allowed the storm to fade.

Even after Trajdos was thrown for a yuko with a counterattack, an opportunist piece of ground work saw her get her leg out to immobilise Trstenjak for ippon and secure her first Grand Slam gold medal.

The opening bronze medal fight saw the experienced Dutchwoman Anicka van Emden lose out to Japan’s Miku Tashiro, while Russia’s Ekaterina Valkova defeated Mongolia’s Munkhzaya Tsedevsuren in the second.

Victory for Trajdos ended Japan’s run of five consecutive gold medals from yesterday, but the hosts soon got back on track as Chizuru Arai beat compatriot Yoko Ono to the women’s under 70kg title.

During the first four minutes of regular time, nothing seemed to be able to separate the two finalists who were each penalised with three shido.

With attacks coming from both sides but for no score, the two competitors were trying everything possible to register the golden score but it was Arai who ultimately prevailed after seven-and-a-half minutes to regain the crown she won in 2013.

Brazil’s Maria Portela saw off the challenge of Moroccan Assmaa Niang to win the first bronze medal contest, after which Israel’s Linda Bolder got the better of Japan’s Erina Ike.

A seventh gold medal of the competition came Japan’s way in the men’s under 73kg category, which was won by defending champion Hiroyuki Akimoto at the expense of South Korean top seed Changrim An.

After one-and-a-half minutes, Akimoto took the lead with a perfectly executed left handed drop-seoi-nage for waza-ari with An, winner of the recent Abu Dhabi Grand Slam, landing on his side.

Two penalties against Akimoto, one for a false attack and another for blocking his opponent, didn’t have an impact on the final outcome as the Japanese claimed a second Grand Slam gold medal.

Nugzari Tatalashvili overcame the reigning under 66kg Olympic champion Lasha Shavdatuashvili in an all-Georgian bronze medal match and was joined on the third step of the podium by Russia’s Musa Mogushkov, who added a ninth Grand Slam medal to his tally to the detriment of Slovenia’s Rok Draksic.  

Meanwhile, in the highly competitive men’s under 81kg category, it was Georgia’s Avtandili Tchrikishvili who came out on top with South Korean outsider Seungsu Lee having to settle for silver.

The final was not the most spectacular as the two fighters cancelled each other throughout the fight, but Tchrikishvili confirmed his world number one position thanks to a narrow victory by two penalties.

World champion and defending gold medallist Takanori Nagase of Japan recovered from semi-final elimination at the hands of Lee for a prohibited leg grab to edge Greece’s Roman Moustopoulos in the first bronze medal fight.

South Korea’s Ki-Chun Wang, a former world number one in the under 73kg category, also bagged third-place honours as the United States’ Travis Stevens fell just short of a podium place.

The final day of action tomorrow is due to feature the women's under 78kg and over 78kg categories, and the men's under 90kg, under 100kg and over 100kg classes. 

To watch the latest action on Judo TV click here. 


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