Rishod Sobirov back at World level

We can say that Rishod Sobirov fully back in the top of the category U66kg. It took him two years to make the ultimate step to 66kg, from 60kg, the category that he dominated in the previous Olympic cycle. The last male final of the day opposed the top seeded athlete of the category DAVAADORJ Tumurkhuleg from Mongolia and former World and World Masters champion Rishod SOBIROV (UZB) who after an early defeat last week in Georgia showed that he was still a great fighter.

After the first minute of the fight only penalties were distributed and it looked like the final will continue on the same rhythm, DAVAADORJ controlling all attacks from SOBIROV, and the Uzbek being penalised for false attacks or for stepping outside of the competition area but suddenly the former world champion launched a majestic uchi-mata for waza-ari, before DAVAADORJ caught him on the floor with an immobilisation but for no score.

Rishod Sobirov said: “Last weekend was a bad day for me, today is a good one. I feel good to be on the top of the podium again. Now we can really prepare the next challenges and especially the Astana World Championships.“

Having three penalties against him made the situation a little more complicated for SOBIROV but he beautifully concluded the fight with a counterattack for ippon. The first bronze medal contest opposed the bronze medallist of the 2014 Zagreb Grand Prix, Adrian GOMBOC (SLO) and the winner of the Asian Open in Taipei, Sergiu OLEINIC (POR), who after a period of observation, applied an unstoppable strangulation technique for ippon, giving no chance for GOMBOC to escape.

Tristan PEIKRISHVILI (GEO) and Abdula ABDULZHALILOV (RUS) concluded the series of bronze medal fights of the day. ABDULZHALILOV scored the first with a counterattack (ura-nage) for yuko. After he was penalised with a shido for a defensive position, ABDULZHALILOV scored again but this time for waza-ari. Only ippon was missing but not for long as the Russian launched an incredibly powerful o-soto-otoshi.