Corina Caprioriu finishes Nekoda Davis in Baku's final

Olympic silver medallist Corina CAPRIORIU (ROU) recorded her first win over Zagreb Grand Prix winner Nekoda SMYTHE DAVIS (GBR) to take -57kg gold medal on day one. Samsun Grand Prix bronze medallist CAPRIORIU lost out to the blossoming Brit in the Zagreb Grand Prix quarter-finals but avenged that today in the gold medal contest.

CAPRIORIU persevered on the ground and eventually gained control of her opponent’s arm for the juji-gatame and SMYTHE DAVIS tapped out. The silver medal for the young Briton is the first of what will surely be many more over the coming years. 

In the first semi-final former Zagreb Grand Prix bronze medallist Loredana OHAI (ROU) succumb to SMYTHE DAVIS who defeated her 22-year-old rival by a waza-ari which was the only score of the contest. In the second semi-final former Tbilisi Grand Prix winner Irina ZABLUDINA (RUS) fell to CAPRIORIU as Romania were in the medal hunt in all three women’s categories on day one. CAPRIORIU showed her superiority on the day by scoring a waza-ari and a yuko without reply and sealed her place in the gold medal contest.

The first bronze medal was won by losing semi-finalist ZABLUDINA who overcame Samsun Grand Prix winner Viola WAECHTER (GER) by a slender yuko score. The second bronze medal was won by world number seven Miryam ROPER (GER) – who having took bronze at the Tbilisi Grand Prix – returned to the podium in Baku as OHAI could not compete due to injury.