Yoon Hyun-Ji claims gold second Grand Prix judo gold ever U78kg for Korea

Korean judoka Hyun-Ji Yoon is ranked 12th in the world, she had won two medals on the World Judo Tour before arriving in Portugal, both bronze. By entering the final of the Grand Prix in Portugal, she had the opportunity to write a new line on her business card. She was up against the 2018 junior world champion, Alice Bellandi, who showed really good judo during the preliminary rounds.

Rapidly a shido each was given for avoiding gripping and both Yoon and Bellandi started to be more active. It was the Korean though who seemed more dangerous, closed to scoring a couple of times before the Italian received her second penalty. In golden score Yoon concluded with a superb waza-ari from a ura-nage to confirm her dominance. This is also the first gold medal for the Korean in a Grand Prix.

Winner of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Slam, at the end of the last season, Emma Reid (GBR) was again present in the final block but this time in the search for a bronze medal. She faced the second Korean of the category, Jeongyun Lee, who so far had two bronze medals to her name on the WJT. After having been penalised twice, Lee scored a waza-ari but was still in danger as one more penalty could mean the match was over but she kept attacking. Reid was then penalised twice as well and Lee Jeongyun could celebrate her second Grand Prix medal.

Inbar Lanir (ISR), bronze in Abu Dhabi 2021, was opposed by the 2021 European Champion, Beata Pacut (POL). It did not take long for Lanir to score a first waza-ari with a ko-soto-gari technique before she pinned her opponent for ippon.