Middleweight Finals Bring Drama to Abu Dhabi Grand Slam
Usagevpn.com – The second day of the Abu Dhabi Judo Grand Slam turned the Mubadala Arena into the stage for a series of decisive middleweight contests, with athletes from Europe, Africa, Asia and South America claiming memorable victories. After an eventful opening day, the programme continued with finals that combined tactical patience, sharp attacks and vital groundwork.
As the Olympic qualification period begins, the results in Abu Dhabi offered an important early moment for several competitors seeking to establish themselves on the international circuit. Four gold-medal contests stood out in the women’s -63kg and -70kg categories and the men’s -73kg and -81kg divisions.
Szymanska Opens Qualification Campaign with -63kg Gold
Hungary’s Anna Kriza met Poland’s Angelika Szymanska in the women’s -63kg final. Szymanska arrived with the confidence of a Lausanne Grand Slam gold medal, and her experience again proved valuable when the contest reached its key phase.
The Polish judoka registered waza-ari and then managed the remaining exchanges effectively to secure the title. The victory gives Poland’s number one a strong start to the Olympic qualification period, underlining her ability to turn a scoring opportunity into a controlled final result.
His Excellency Jabr Al Suwaidi, UAE Minister of State, presented the medals for the -63kg category.
Doukkali Delivers Historic Moroccan Triumph
The men’s -73kg final produced one of the day’s most striking moments. Tajikistan’s Masudi Ahmadzod faced Morocco’s Hassan Doukkali in a contest that demanded both composure and precision.
Doukkali used a well-timed feint to create the opening he needed. The move placed him in an ideal attacking position, allowing him to score yuko and take the gold medal. It was a landmark achievement for Moroccan judo, as Doukkali earned Morocco’s first Grand Slam gold medal.
His Excellency Ashrafjon Gulov, Ambassador of Tajikistan to the UAE, awarded the medals following the final. For Doukkali, the result marked not simply a tournament win but a historic success that adds a new chapter to Morocco’s Grand Slam record.
Pina’s Groundwork Secures -70kg Victory
In the women’s -70kg final, Brazil’s Kaillany Cardoso took on Portugal’s Tais Pina. The bout was settled on the ground, where Pina demonstrated the technical control needed to reverse her opponent’s position and complete a pin.
That groundwork sequence earned Pina the gold medal and ended a two-year wait for another Grand Slam title. The result highlighted the value of ne-waza in high-level judo, where a contest can change quickly once an athlete finds the right angle and establishes control on the mat.
Mr Brian Lewis, former President of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee, presented the medals. Pina’s victory added another major international success to her record and showed the effectiveness of patient, technically sound work in the decisive stages of a final.
Pelivan Claims First Grand Slam Gold
The men’s -81kg contest between Finland’s Eetu Ihanamaki and Moldova’s Petru Pelivan provided a dramatic conclusion to the day’s middleweight schedule. With the final finely balanced, Pelivan found a decisive answer through a clever ko uchi gari.
The attack scored yuko and delivered the Moldovan judoka his first Grand Slam gold medal. The victory was especially significant because it came in a final where one accurate technique made the difference between silver and a career milestone.
Mr Victor Florescu, Vice President of the Moldova Judo Federation, awarded the medals. Pelivan’s win gave Moldova a major moment at the event and demonstrated how quickly the momentum of a final can shift when a judoka identifies a narrow opening.
A Day Defined by Technical Detail
The second day in Abu Dhabi showed the variety that makes elite judo compelling. Szymanska used her experience to protect a scoring advantage. Doukkali created his opportunity with deception before converting it into a historic result. Pina relied on transition work and control on the ground, while Pelivan used ko uchi gari to decide a tense -81kg final.
Each champion reached gold through a different route, but all four performances required timing, discipline and the ability to remain composed under pressure. In a Grand Slam setting, where the quality of opposition is high across every round, a single score or successful transition can define an athlete’s entire day.
Attention now moves to the heavyweight categories, which are scheduled to take to the tatami on the following day. With the middleweights having set a high standard through close finals and milestone wins, the final phase of the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam promises more high-stakes judo at the Mubadala Arena.
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