JUDO: Korea’s An triumphs in Antalya Grand Prix as other stars fade

Korea's Chang-Rim An (white) on the way to winning the Antalya Open (Photo: IJF/Gabriela Sabau)

There were three Olympic gold medalists entered in the Antalya (TUR) Grand Prix and all of them lost. But the one World Champion in the field came through.

That would be Chang-Rim An of Korea, who collected the gold in the men’s -73kg category, who all six of his matches by ippon: quite impressive.

The Olympic gold winners – Lukas Krpalek (CZE), Rafaela Silva (BRA) and Tina Trstenjak (SLO) – had varying degrees of success. Krpalek finished third at +100 kg, but Silva was eliminated by eventual winner Julia Kowalczyk (POL) in round 3 at -57 kg, and Trstenjak did not compete after all in the -63 category.

Overall, Georgia ended up with five (1-2-2), including a victory from Luka Maisuradze at -81 kg, to lead the medal table. Brazil (0-1-3), Germany (1-0-3) and Azerbaijan (1-1-2) all had four. Summaries:

IJF World Tour/Antalya Grand Prix
Antalya (TUR) ~ 5-7 April 2019
(Full results here)

Men

-60 kg: 1. Yeldos Smetov (KAZ); 2. Kemran Nurillaev (UZB); 3. Ashley McKenzie (GBR) and Mihrac Akkus (TUR).

-66 kg: 1. Denis Vieru (MDA); 2. Mikhail Puliaev (RUS); 3. Bagrati Niniashvili (GEO) and Alberto Gaitero Martin (ESP).

-73 kg: 1. Changrim An (KOR); 2. Rustam Orujov (AZE); 3. Georgios Azoidis (GRE) and Guillaume Chaine (FRA).

-81 kg: 1. Luka Maisuradze (GEO); 2. Christian Parlati (ITA); 3. Khasan Khalmurzaev (RUS) and Antoine Valois-Fortier (CAN).

-90 kg: 1. Mikhail Ozerler (TUR); 2. Giorgi Papunashvili (GEO); 3. Komronshokh Ustopiriyon (TJK) and Avtandili Tchrikishvili (GEO).

-100 kg: 1. Alexandre Iddir (FRA); 2. Rafael Buzacarini (BRA); 3. Toma Nikiforov (BEL) and Elmar Gasimov (AZE).

+100 kg: 1. Roy Meyer (NED); 2. Levani Matiashvili (GEO); 3. Lukas Krpalek (CZE) and Vladut Simionescu (ROU).

Women

-48 kg: 1. Distria Krasniqi (KOS); 2. Otgonsetseg Galbadrakh (KAZ); 3. Milica Nikolic (SRB) and Yujeong Kang (KOR).

-52 kg: 1. Andreea Chitu (ROU); 2. Urantsetseg Munkhbat (MGL); 3. Gultaj Mammadeliyeva (AZE) and Larissa Pimenta (BRA).

-57 kg: 1. Julia Kowalczyk (POL); 2. Kaja Kajzer (SLO); 3. Mariia Skora (UKR) and Wen Chang (CHN).

-63 kg: 1. Maylin del Toro Carvajal (CUB); 2. Jing Tang (CHN); 3. Alice Schlesinger (GBR) and Amy Livesay (GBR).

-70 kg: 1. Elisavet Teltsidou (GRE); 2. Maria Portela (BRA); 3. Elvismar Rodriguez (VEN) and Miriam Butkereit (GER).

-78 kg: 1. Anna Maria Wagner (GER); 2. Kaliema Antomarchi (CUB); 3. Luise Malzahn (GER) and Anastasiya Turchyn (UKR).

+78 kg: 1. Iryna Kindzerska (AZE); 2. Beatriz Souza (BRA); 3. Kayra Sayit (TUR) and Jasmin Kuelbs (GER).