Judo Grand Slam day one: a golden start for Kazakhstan

All the latest developments on the Judo Grand Slam Astana 2024.

Transcript

00:00The IJF World Judo Tour has landed back in Kazakhstan for the final Grand Slam event

00:06before this year's World Championships and Olympic Games.

00:09With some of the last qualification points on offer, judo stars from around the world

00:13arrived in the city of Astana pursuing victory.

00:18The tension in the air was palpable as the crowd awaited the first days of action and

00:21the chance to get closer to their heroes.

00:24At under 48 kilograms, Galia Timbayeva delighted the home crowd, making it into the final.

00:31Timbayeva twice caught her opponent, Julia Zova, with cleverly timed sacrifice techniques

00:36and won her first ever World Judo Tour gold on home soil in Astana.

00:43Kazakhstan's Sports and Physical Culture Committee Chairman, Yerbol Mirzavosinov, awarded

00:48the medals.

00:53That was crazy, because when I entered the arena, there were 1,000 people screaming,

00:58Galia, Galia.

01:02I felt the pressure, but then I said to myself, I must win, I must win.

01:11At under 60 kilograms, individual neutral athlete Ramzan Abdulev gave us a spectacular

01:16final.

01:18Abdulev made his opponent Yang submit, and in doing so won his third Grand Slam gold.

01:23He was awarded his medal by Harvest Group CEO Almaz Alsanov.

01:27At under 52 kilograms, Yefen Primov began the day as number one seed and she lived up

01:33to it perfectly.

01:35In the final, she faced Larissa Pimenta.

01:37After a tough contest, Primov managed to catch Pimenta with a great Ashiwaza, continuing

01:42to the ground to ensure the full Ippon victory.

01:46She was awarded her medal by IJF Secretary General Lisa Allen.

01:49At under 66 kilogram category, Samuray Chopinov claimed gold in style.

01:54A huge throw in the first exchange of the match was followed straight into a holdout

01:59to seal the win.

02:00The medals were awarded by IJF Director General Vladimir Inescu.

02:04At under 57 kilograms, it was an all Pan American final, with Christy Taguchi beating Rafaela

02:09Silva.

02:10She was awarded the gold medal by Armin Bagdasarov, Head Referee Director of the International

02:15Judo Federation.

02:36Another highlight from the home crowd came at under 60 kilograms, where Kazakh judo legend

02:41and 2015 world champion Galdos Smetov showed he is coming back to top form.

02:47He showed brilliant judo all day to claim bronze for the home nation.

02:51Join us tomorrow for more judo.