Japanese newcomer Terumi Otsuji surprises with Grand Prix gold

IJF World Judo Tour debutant Otsuji Terumi of Japan starred for Japan with a win over 2016 Baku Grand Slam bronze medallist Lu Tongjuan (CHN) in the U57kg final. World number 54 Lu produced a career-best result while Otsuji was the last woman standing in her first IJF outing.

The Japanese judoka, who was eliminated in the opening round of the Kodokan Cup, Japan’s selection event for the Osaka Grand Slam, two weeks ago - threw with a koshi-guruma for a waza-ari and held down her rival with a kesa-gatame to seal a comfortable win.

In the first semi-final Cancun Grand Prix bronze medallist Miryam Roper (PAN) was beaten by Otsuji by ippon. In the second semi-final former Tashkent Grand Prix gold medallist Anna Borowska (POL) was thrown after two minutes of golden score by LU for ippon.

The first bronze medal was won by Abu Dhabi Grand Slam bronze medallist Priscilla Gneto (FRA) who threw Borowska with sutemi-waza for a waza-ari score with 25 seconds left on the clock. Gneto kept control for the closing seconds to join her younger sister Astride as a bronze medallist on day one.

The second bronze medal was won by Roper who edged out 2017 Junior World Championships bronze medallist Mina Libeer (BEL). World number 13 Roper scored a waza-ari from a sumi-gaeshi to earn her fifth Grand Prix medal for Panama having only switched from Germany in 2017.