Shishime Ai third Japanese in IJF top 15 U52kg

Tokyo Grand Slam runner-up Shishime Ai of Japan won the second Grand Prix of her career as she defeated Paris Grand Slam bronze medallist Priscilla Gneto of France in the U52kg final. With world champion Nakamura Misato (JPN) left at home, Japan instead gave Shishime a run-out and gold was still the outcome.

Shishime was not able to unlock the solid defense of Gneto and prevailed on shido penalties. Gneto was penalised for passivity, breaking off the grip with both hands and gripping on one side for too long while Shishime had only been penalised once which was for negative gripping. 

In the first semi-final Paris Grand Slam runner-up Andreea Chitu of Romania was undone by Gneto. Chitu, who sportingly carried an injured Park Da Sol (KOR) off the tatami after having won their quarter-final, was penalised along with her opponent after 34 seconds for passivity. Chitu fired in front with a yuko but Gneto showed her conditioning and concentration level as she came back to score a waza-ari with 16 seconds left.

In the second semi-final Shishime beat Taipei Open bronze medallist Kim Mi-Ri of Korea by the narrowest of margins. With no scores registered during the four minutes the contest was decided on penalties with Kim losing out having been penalised once to fall into the repechage.

The first bronze medal was clinched by Qingdao Grand Prix silver medallist Gulbadam Babamuratova (TKM) in a rapid victory. Babamuratova has been making waves for her country on the IJF World Judo Tour stage and showed her emotion as she threw Kim Mi-Ri (KOR) for ippon after only 11 seconds. The second bronze medal was won by Chitu who defeated Rome European bronze medallist Munkhbaatar Bundmaa (MGL). After an even and largely uneventful four minutes the contest moved into golden score and Chitu showed her quality as she pressed forward and come up with a match-winning waza-ari.