Uzbek judoka Mukhriddin Tilovov unstoppable in first IJF appearance

Complete unknown Mukhriddin Tilovov of host nation Uzbekistan won the first men’s final at the Grand Prix in Tashkent as he stunned the opposition to give his country a golden start to their home event.

Former Taipei Asian Open winner Matjaz Trbovc of Slovenia was contesting his first IJF final and gave it everything as the two judoka fought into golden score. Two and a half minutes of added time was required as a riveting final had spectators out of their seats throughout. A ko-soto-gari brought the contest two a conclusion as Tilovov made the most of his first IJF event for Uzbekistan.

In the semi-finals former world silver medallist Dashdavaa Amartuvshin (MGL) surprisingly succumb to Trbovc. The Slovenian guaranteed his first Grand Prix medal by catching his more fancied Mongolian foe with an ouchi-gari for a waza-ari and held on for an eye-catching win. In the second semi-final 19-year-old Bauyrzhan Zhauyntayev (KAZ) lost out to 22-year-old IJF World Judo Tour debutant Tilovov. With a shido apiece going into the last 50 seconds and no scores registered the contest looked set for golden score but national champion Tilovov had other plans as he burst forward and won by ippon to the delight of the home supporters.

The first bronze medal was won by Zhauyntayev who defeated 18-year-old IJF World Judo Tour debutant Tofig Mammadov (AZE) by a shido penalty. The second bronze medal went to Budapest Grand Prix bronze medallist Sharafuddin Lutfillaev (UZB) who defeated the disappointing Dashdavaa. The Mongolian led with a yuko from a standing seoi-nage before Lutfillaev levelled the score. Dashdavaa received a shido for a gripping infringement and was thrown with a ko-soto-gake for a waza-ari as Uzbekistan chalked up one more medal.