Rising Judo Star Timur Arbuzov Makes Waves at Grand Slam Tournament in Tbilisi

The first time we told you about it was at the beginning of October, during the junior world championships in Odivelas (Portugal).
Timur Arbuzov, second year junior, made a very strong impression during this Portuguese event, finishing third in -81kg, only beaten by the Japanese Kaito Amano in a very high-flying semi-final. Right-handed with the body of an octopus, this judoka in the purest Russian style – a fusion between classic Japanese judo and sambo techniques – with this result gave himself the rights to enter the Olympic race in his -81kg category. In a duel with David Karapetyan – 2021 junior world champion – Arbuzov, set a first milestone among seniors in early February, winning bronze in Paris. Today, the second milestone is even more serious with a victory at the Grand Slam in Tbilisi where his overpowering hip movement as well as his ne-waza opportunism allowed him to get through a day where he only beat a top seed. – the Israeli Sagi Muki, seeded n°4, in the semi-final -, where he should undoubtedly have been penalized for “diving” against the Moldovan – who is returning from a suspension for doping – Victor Sterpu but during which this young Russian with exciting judo will have sought an extremely important victory in the race for Olympic selection and qualification. With a thousand points taken, Arbuzov, who is the youngest male winner of a Grand Slam this year – he is still only nineteen years old – will gain twenty places to find himself around twentieth place. If he has not yet met all the big names in the category – like Tato Grigalashvili, Saeid Mollaei or Lee Joonwhan -, if he lost against Mathias Casse at the European Championships, this Russian could well if he is chosen to be the x-factor of the Paris Olympics at the end of the summer.

A surprise victory for a day where no Frenchman reached the quarter-finals. The favorites of the day did not miss the call: in -63kg, it was the number 1 seed, the Canadian Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard, at the top of the world ranking, who won the victory after silver in Baku. In -70kg, it is the number 2 seed, the indestructible Croatian Barbara Matic, gold at the Portuguese GP and the Baku Grand Slam who continues her impressive momentum. His last competition without a podium dates back to the Budapest Masters last August.
Finally in -73kg, it is the number 3 seed, the triple Olympic medalist and native of the country Lasha Shavdatuashvili who gives the organizing country its second title in this Grand Slam. Two titles certainly but for only two medals in the country at the Cross of Saint George, at home. A category where Soichi Hashimoto, the Japanese holder for Paris, loses to a Russian out of nowhere: Karen Galstia, twenty-four years old, fifth at the Russian Senior European Cup in 2021 for the only result in this category. ‘age !
An unknown with a powerful left arm who beats the Nippon on two waza-ari, the first of which seems very light.
With Chernykh yesterday, Russia leaves its pool with two judokas with no references in international youth championships and never medalists on the IJF circuit before and who both reach the final in Tbilisi. Certainly one of the lessons of this Grand Slam.
Tomorrow entry into the running is Audrey Tcheuméo – who plays big – and the local superstar, Lasha Bekauri.

2024-03-24 09:12:55
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