Two golds for Japan on day two in Tel Aviv

Day Two of the Tel Aviv Grand Slam had followers buzzing with anticipation.

The day past Worldwide Judo Federation president Marius Vizer had offered Israeli Judo Affiliation President Moshe Ponte with the Judo for Peace award. Israel participated towards Saudi Arabia through the Tokyo Olympics.

The Japanese judo crew solely despatched 4 ladies to this 12 months’s Tel Aviv Grand Slam - and two of them picked up gold on day two.

Horikawa takes gold ten years on

Megumi Horikawa took the -63kg gold, practically ten years after successful her final grand slam title in Tokyo. She beat Britain’s Gemma Howell, who was competing in her first-ever tour remaining.

IJF Sport Director Mike Tamura offered Horikawa along with her medal.

Hidayat Heydarov from Azerbaijan was high seed within the males’s -73kg contest and he lived as much as his billing, with victory within the remaining towards Obidkhon Nomonov from Uzbekistan.

Victory got here in further time, with a spectacular koshi-guruma for a waza-ari. The final time the Azeri champion received gold in a grand slam was in 2019.

Dr Lisa Allan, the IJF Occasions director, awarded him along with his medal.

Shiho Tanaka bought Japan’s second gold with victory over Sanne Van Dijke from the Netherlands within the -70kg class. An uchi-mata for waza-ari proved sufficient to offer Tanaka the title.

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It was incredible to have all of the viewers there. The group made it a way more thrilling expertise

Shiho Tanaka

-70kg gold

Florin Daniel Lascau, IJF Head Referee Director, handed out the medals

“It was incredible to have all of the viewers there”, Tanaka mentioned. “The group made it a way more thrilling expertise.”

Casse lastly will get the higher of Albayrak

The highest two seeds made it to the lads’s -81kg remaining, which noticed Matthias Casse from Belgium face Vedat Albayrak from Turkey. Albayrak had received their earlier two contests, however this time it was Casse who got here out high. The successful motion got here after 4 minutes of golden rating, when Casse executed a novel juji-gatame for ippon.

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It’s superb to share a podium with somebody out of your nation

Matthias Casse

-81kg gold

Armen Bagdasarov, IJF Head Referee Director gave out the medals. Casse’s fellow Belgian Sami Chouchi picked up a bronze.

“It’s superb to share a podium with somebody out of your nation,” mentioned Casse. “Sami has been a great buddy for thus lengthy, and it’s simply enjoyable to hang around on the rostrum collectively.”

It’s clear why Judo is so fashionable in Israel, with native stars displaying placing on intense performances all through the day. After golden success on day one, the momentum continued via day two, buoyed on by the passionate cheers from native supporters within the Shlomo Enviornment.

They bought their reward when Tohar Butbul defeated Italy’s Giovanni Esposito to take bronze within the below 73 kilos contest, to an virtually deafening ovation from the gang.

Day three will deliver within the heavyweights - and an unbelievable string of Israeli superstars for the gang to cheer on. A day of motion to not be missed.