The Judo Grand Slam stops in Tajikistan. This weekend in the capital Dushanbe, athletes will be on the tatami and showing off their skills in the Olympic sport, around two and a half months before the start of the Olympic Games.
Two-time Olympic champion and three-time world champion Shohei Ono was also there. In the 48 kg class, Baasankhuu Bavuudorj from Mongolia won gold after a physically demanding final.
Gold for local hero Quvatov
Muhammadsoleh Quvatov from Tajikistan secured the gold medal for his home country in the up to 60 kg class with an ippon. The spectators were of course over the moon – a perfect start for the local athletes, who were cheered on by the fans.
“The atmosphere today was really good, I liked it. The audience cheered a lot, I really enjoyed winning the medal for them,” said an overjoyed Quvatov later.
Audience with “a lot of energy”
The category up to 52 kg was a purely Swiss affair, with Binta Ndiaye and Fabienne Kocher reaching the final. Kocher’s greater experience was noticeable – she ultimately won the gold medal and then emphasized that the atmosphere in the hall was “unbelievable”, “people were screaming in the first round, they gave us a lot of energy the whole day given”.
In the weight class up to 66 kg there was once again a home favorite when Obid Dzehbov took on Turkmenistan Serdar Rahimov. And Rahimov finally won the gold medal after a tough fight.
And in the up to 57 kg class, Jessica Klimkait was at the top of the podium. That was the first day of the Judo Grand Slam in Dushanbe. It continues at the same location on Saturday.