Kim, Bolder break Japan domination in Grand Slam judo

Saturday, 01 December 2012 16:39

Posted by Muhammad Iqbal

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TOKYO: London Olympic gold medallist Kim Jae-Bum of South Korea and Linda Bolder of the Netherlands stopped Japanese domination at the Grand Slam international judo tournament in Tokyo on Saturday.

 

The 27-year-old Korean, also the world champion in the past two years, pulled off a yuko and went on to beat Ivan Vorobev of Russia in the men's 81-kilogramme final.

 

Bolder, the 2008 under-23 European champion, defeated Japan's Haruka Tachimoto after scoring a yuko point to win the women's 70kg final.

 

On Friday, Japanese judokas dominated the event winning the men's 60kg, 66kg, women's 48kg, 52kg and 57kg titles through Naohisa Takato, Jumpei Morishita, two-time world champion Haruna Asami, Yuki Hashimoto and Anzu Yamamoto.

 

The other two classes on Saturday were all-Japanese affairs with Shohei Ono beating world champion Riki Nakaya to win the men's 73kg and Megumi Tsugane beating Kana Abe to win the women's 63kg title.