The second day of Tbilisi Grand Slam in Georgia was action-packed.
And -63kg, Inbal Shemesh lived the best day of his life. The young Israeli reached her first Grand Slam final by landing a Tani-Otoshi on each of her opponents.
A spectacular style that allowed him to win the final against the Brazilian Ketelyn Quadros. Overwhelmed with emotion, Shemesh clinched gold.
His medal was presented to him by Lisa AllanEvents Director of the International Judo Federation.
“I really like this audience, s’est réjouit Shemesh I think they encouraged me a lot because they liked my style. And of course, it was really great to evolve in this atmosphere.”
In -73kg, the current world champion, the 2012 Olympic champion and the local hero Lasha Shavdatuashvili gave his fans a great show! In the final, after taking the lead early in the fight, his Japanese opponent Ken Oyoshi equalized seconds from the end. In front of his audience, Shavdatuashvili performed a superb fake foot that put the room in fusion.
Another incredible victory for the legend of Georgian judo who received his medal from the hands of the president of the Georgian Judo Federation, Giorgi Atabegashvili.
“Every victory means a lot to me, Shavdatuashvili said. The Olympic Games, the World Championships, each final is important. It’s an amazing feeling to be on the podium, to see your hard work pay off. I’m always fighting for the win, and it’s really special to win at home.”
The Dutch Sanne Van Dijke won gold in the -70kg category, winning a tactical victory over Spaniard Ai Tsunoda Roustant.
His medal was presented to him by the Director of Education and Training of the IJF, Mohammed Meridja.
In the -81kg category, Lee Joonhwan dashed Georgian hopes of a second gold medal by beating favorite Tato Grigalashvili with a fantastic block. Memorable debut on the World Judo Tour for the South Korean!
The IJF Director of Referees, Florin Daniel Lascaugave him his medal.
Each year, the Georgian team responds present, at home. She won two more bronze medals on Saturday, much to the delight of local fans. The young judokas particularly shone, offering great promise for the next Paris Olympics.
