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First gold World Tour gold for Nekoda Smythe Davis

First gold World Tour gold for Nekoda Smythe Davis

23 Feb 2018 19:40
Christian Fidler

At the Grand Slam of Düsseldorf Nekoda Smythe-Davis won the gold medal at the Grand Slam in Düsseldorf after her final U57kg. In a new venue Nekoda Davis again succeeded to take a medal, but this time it was gold and that was a premier performance at this Grand Slam level. Never she won gold in the IJF World Tour.

Nekoda Davis (24) defeated 27-year old Hedvig Karakas of Hungary who won her last World Tour event in 2014 and was close to the victory after she opened the match. But British Davis grew in the match and scored wazari as well. Karakas seemed to be close to the victory at a ground situation but the match required a golden score. After almost three minutes in the match it was Nekoda Davis who scored the ippon. Great Britain is spoiled lately with excellent results. Two weeks ago it was Sally Conway to take gold in Paris, now gold for Nekoda Davis who can continue her success of the World Championships and bronze in Paris. God safe the Queen was the last anthem of the day in the ISS Dome, a beautiful Arena where Japan leads after day one with three gold medals.

Japan won three gold medals at the inaugural Grand Slam in Düsseldorf. Ryuju Nagayama won gold U60kg, perhaps expected after Beslam Mudranov withdraw after being to heavy at the weighin. But Russia had another top athlete in Robert Mshvidobadze who qualified for the final. Nagayama though captured gold again. He also won the Masters in St Petersburg in December.

U66kg gold went to Kenzo Tagawa, a huge success for the 21-year old Japanese fighter. In the final he bested Georgii Zantaraia. After a video decision it was Tagawa who took gold afterall in the golden score.

In the women’s division it was the Ukraine that opened with gold… again by Daria Bilodid. the tall amazing youngster who again struck with gold at a Grand Slam which will bring her closer to the World leading position. In the final it was a huge age difference against Eva Csernovickzi of Hungary, another silver medal for Hungary, still a good performance. But there’s not limit for Bilodid who won her four matches. For Csernovickzi it was in May 2016 when she last won a medal at a Grand Slam in Baku.

Ai Shishime completed the dominance of Japan in Düsseldorf, the most Japanese city of Germany with a wide range of Japanese inhabitants. Shishime won again in Düsseldorf, just like in 2016 and her third consecutive medal here. In the final Shishime defeated Karolina Pienkowska of Poland who was able to overcome Erika Miranda who got injured and couldn’t fight for bronze against Charline van Snick (BEL). Estrella Lopez Sheriff won her first medal for Spain at a Grand Slam, it was since May 2016 since a Spanish woman had won a medal at this level.

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