For several years now, Cuban judoka Iván Silva, in the 90 kilogram division, has been one of the best in the world. And he just proved it once again by taking revenge for a bad day one Sunday ago. The thing is that he now finished with one of the bronze medals in the Antalya Grand Slam. Türkiye.
It was, by far, the most pleasant news achieved during the three days of that struggle with such a demanding category (yes, the Grand Slam), in which we also had some eclipses that will have their logical space in this note.
And, by the way, for the moment there will be no revenge for the Cubans on this European tour, since the Antalya Grand Slam was the last opportunity on this so-called critical route, that is, the preparation for the ever-closer Olympic Games in Paris 2024 (July 26 to August 11).
An important note before continuing moving around the tatami: there is something that most Cubahora readers know, but that is worth remembering. Judo has great global strength, it has developed a lot in recent years. That is to say, setbacks against more relegated rivals in the ranking could very well be within the realm of possibility, as happened. Maybe it’s not to worry, but to take care…
NOT EASY
We say the above not only for Iván Silva, world runner-up in Baku 2018, as there were other cases among our compatriots. But our statement fits like a glove with what happened to him (number 4 in the world ranking).
His only setback this Sunday was against an opponent ranked 35th: the Azeri Vugar Talibov, champion of the First Youth Olympic Games, in Buenos Aires 2018, who managed to beat him by wazari awazete ippon.
Talivov won the silver medal, his second best career result in a Grand Slam, after the bronze in Baku last February, a sign that he could be on the rise as the Olympic Games approach?
Before that setback, Silva had finished happily against the German Eduard Trippel (by hansoku make), which was not easy at all, since the decision had to come in added time.
Who is this Trippel that demanded so much of him? The runner-up of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, the winner of two silver and three bronze medals in Grand Slam.
Then he beat the Dominican Robert Florentino (wazari) with almost time running out, who as we remember is a great rival of his in our geographical area, a man to keep in mind, and winner before a bronze medal in a Grand Prix, the of Marrakech 2019.
BIG TIME
After the setback, Iván Silva reacted as great champions do: he shook off his judogi (or, as many call him, his kimono), and prepared for his next fight: then, of course, in repechage, he got rid of the Frenchman Maxime-Gael Ngayap Hambou, who has one silver and two bronze medals in Grand Slam.
Then a rival with a record to respect was waiting for him (we already wrote before that judo has a very high level?).
Yes, the fight was now going to be against the Uzbek Davlat Bobonov, world runner-up in Budapest 2021, seventh in the ranking, whom he even dispatched via ippon.
Anything else to say about Bobonov? Yes, in his not inconsiderable passage through the Grand Slam he has finished in the neck with two gold medals, three silver and four bronze.
NO BROKEN SACKS
And we are not going to contradict ourselves with what was written at the beginning, about the global strength of judo, and the possibility of falling to rivals more relegated in the ranking, but it is also not something to throw on deaf ears so close to the Olympic Games.
It is true that there were Cubans losing to seemingly inferior opponents, and even in their first fights.
And that of giving in in their first presentations happened this Sunday with nothing more and nothing less than with the Olympic and world multi-medallist Idalys Ortiz (+78) and Andy Granda (+100), world champion in Tashkent 2022, and bronze winner ago. two Sundays at the Grand Slam in Tbilisi (Georgia).
Ortiz could not beat the Frenchwoman Lea Fontaine, sixth in the ranking, and with one gold, three silver and four bronze medals in this type of competition.
And Granda fell in his duel with the Slovakian Marius Fizer, a judoka who has not been able to get on the podium even once in world championships (6 participations in them), Grand Slam (17) or Grand Prix (6). But 2+2 is not always equal to 4.
Yes… don’t throw any of this on deaf ears!
2024-04-01 12:56:21
#Iván #Silva #ironed #kimono #Video
