Laure Fornier came out on top in the women’s 56 kilograms category to secure France’s solitary title of the two-day event, while Georgia’s Nino Odzelashvili and Elene Kebadze won the respective women’s 72kg and over 80kg crowns. 

Victory for Fornier came at the expense of Russia’s Olga Vitsina with Belarus’ Maryna Zharskaya and Uzbekistan’s Malikabonu Mirzaeva taking the bronze medals.

Odzelashvili and Kebadze also beat Russian opponents to gold with the former defeating Margarita Gurtsieva and the latter overcoming Anna Balashova.

The women’s 72kg bronze medals went the way of the United States’ Jamie Driver and Belarus’ Volha Namazava, while the third step of the women’s over 80kg podium featured Belarus’ Katsyaryna Kaluzhnaya and Turkmenistan’s Mahri Mulkieva.

However, it was Russia that won the most gold medals today with six of their nine coming in sport sambo.

Success in the women’s categories came courtesy of Elena Bondareva in the 48kg and Sofia Kabulova in the 64kg.

Belarus’ Leila Abbasava and Tatsiana Matsko were the respective beaten finalists as France’s Milene Wojciak and Turkmenistan’s Aziza Nazarova claimed the 48kg bronze medals and Moldova’s Sabina Artemiciuc and Kazakhstan’s Dinara Zhumabayeva secured the equivalent prizes at 64kg.

There were also triumphs for Russia in four of the five men’s categories, including that for Andrey Kubarkov at 52kg ahead of Kazakhstan’s Beimbet Kanzhanov.

Other victorious finalists for the home nation were Roman Tokarev against Bulgaria’s Ashot Martirosyan at 74kg, Sergey Ryabov over Uzbekistan’s Nodirjon Merhalikov at 90kg and Artem Osipenko at the expense of Kazakhstan’s Yerassyl Kazhybayev at over 100kg.

Bronze medallists at 52kg were Kyrgyzstan’s Ruslan Zhanybek and Turkmenistan’s Rustam Ismailov, while those at 74kg were Kyrgyzstan’s Salmoorbek Mambetzhan and Belarus’ Dzmitry Smolin.

Belarus’ Siarhei Lesiak and Latvia’s Aigars Milenbergs shared third place at 90kg and Georgia’s Beka Berdzenishvili was the sole over 100kg bronze medallist.

The one other men's sport sambo gold medal was won by Turkmenistan’s Begli Meretgeldiyev, who beat Russia’s Mger Adzhemyan in the men’s 62kg final.

Mongolia’s Raakhanjav Tseden-Ish and Bulgaria’s Borislav Yanakov rounded out the podium.

Today’s combat sambo action saw Armenia and Belarus join Russia in claiming top honours.

Samvel Badalyan beat Turkmenistan’s Ruslan Yusupov in the 62kg final to secure Armenia’s solitary gold.

Belarus’ came courtesy of Ilia Hadkevich to the disappointment of Badalyan’s compatriot Mavrik Nasibyan at 74kg.

Russia’s Vladimir Petrov and Kazakhstan’s Shyngys Kazhiakparov were the 62kg bronze medallists, while Uzbekistan’s Sanatbek Ismonov and Kyrgyzstan’s Urmat Manatemin finished third at 74kg.

Russia prevailed in the three other finals with Rodion Askanakov beating Turkmenistan’s Novruz Atayev at 52kg, Alexandr Turovskiy defeating Turkmenistan’s Serdar Hojamuhammedov at 90kg and Pasha Kharkhachaev overcoming Turkmenistan’s Zafar Madaminov at over 100kg.

Armenia’s Jon Balayan and Mongolia’s Gantulga Galsandovjoo were the respective sole bronze medallists at 52kg and over 100kg, while Czech Republic’s Lukas Turecek and Mongolia’s Temuujin Bayasgalan completed the 90kg podium.

The Sambo World Cup is also referred to as the A Kharlampiev Memorial World Cup in honour of Anatoly A. Kharlampiev, one of the founding fathers of the sport.