Shohei Ono remains the best and takes gold in Dusseldorf

If Shohei Ono was not among the favorites of the Grand Prix in Dusseldorf, it is because he was not part of the top 8 seeded athletes of the category. Nevertheless, it was obvious that the 2013 world champion in Rio, had a great chance to reach the final in Düsseldorf, and that's what he did without having to put in too much energy, except against the young Korean AN Changrin in the semi-final, where he eventually won by waza-ari. In the final he was opposed to the world number 12, Georgian Nugzari TATALASHVILI, who made a flawless competition until then.

ONO was penalized with a first shido for stepping out of the fighting area after a few seconds, but he immediately took the control over the final by scoring waza-ari with an uchi-mata. After a little more than two minutes, TATALASHVILI trying to find some opportunities to come back, was surprised by the counter attack of the Japanese fighter who literally incrusted the Georgian into the tatami.

The number one seeded, MUKI Sagi (ISR), could only claim up to a bronze medal, as he was eliminated by AN, junior world champion in 2014 during the preliminary rounds. But for this he had to first face Marcelo CONTINI (BRA). After two minutes, MUKI was already leading with a waza-ari and a yuko. The Israeli concluded the fight with a sode-tsuri-komi-goshi for a second waza-ari.

The second third place was disputed between Victor SCVORTOV (UAE), bronze medalist of the last World Championships in Chelyabinsk and AN Changrim (KOR). After less than a minute, AN scored the first with a left handed eri-seoi-nage for waza-ari. Always first on Kumikata, quicker and more precise than his opponent, AN showed that at his young age he is already a well accomplished judoka.