Japanese judo champs thrive in Paris

Reigning Japanese world champions Haruna Asami (-48 kg), Junpei
Morishita (-66 kg) and Uzbek counterpart Rishod Sobirov (-60 kg) were
still in with a chance of adding Tournoi de Paris glory to their trophy
cabinet’s after Saturday’s action.

Japanese Haruna Asami (L) fights with Brazilian Sarah Menezes during their women’s under 48kg fight final at the Paris International Judo Tournament at the Palais omnisports de Paris-Bercy. Asami saw off Hungary’s Eva Csernoviczki by ippon in her final after earlier scoring another ippon success over Menezes.

Adding to the importance of the Paris grand slam event is the fact
that this year’s world championships will also be held in the French
capital in August.

Asami saw off Hungary’s Eva Csernoviczki by
ippon in her final after earlier scoring another ippon success over
Sarah Menezes of Brazil.

Her win saw her emulate compatriot Ryoko
Tani Tamura, an iconic figure in Japan for her 2000 and 2004 Olympic
titles as well as seven world championships.

Morishita had to go
right to the wire to see off Armenian Armen Nazaryan by waza-ari after
earlier eliminating Frenchman David Larose.

Sobirov, a bronze medalist at the 2008 Beijing Games, defeated Armenian Hovhannes Davtyan by ippon.

Mongolia’s
Bundmaa Munkhbaatar beat Soraya Haddad of Algeria by ippon for success
in the women’s -52kg category and there was a -57kg women’s success for
Automne Pavia of the host nation after she outlasted Japan’s Aiko Sato
by waza-ari.

Another Frenchwoman bested Asian opposition in the -63kg category as Gevrise Emane bt Lili Xu of China by waza-ari.

In the men’s -73 kg, Japan’s Riki Nakaya saw off Attila Ungvari by ippon