Hovhannes Davtyan returns to level of the good old times

Hovhannes Davtyan could finally add a new victory to his career overview. The 31-year old Armenian fighter won his last event in May 2009, in Zagreb he came back to those good old times.

Qingdao Grand Prix silver medallist Hovhannes DAVTYAN (ARM) was unstoppable for Armenia as he concluded his classy outing with a victory against Tbilisi Grand Prix silver medallist Tobias ENGLMAIER (GER). DAVTYAN, who is part of a five-strong Armenian team who have been supported to be here by the IJF, scored a waza-ari with an osoto-gari and sealed the win by trapping his opponent in osaekomi for 15 seconds to win by wazari-awasette-ippon. 

In the first semi-final top seed GANBOLD Kherlen (MGL) fell to world number 19 DAVTYAN. World number 12 GANBOLD was penalised with a shido for dropping before his rival was penalised for the same indiscretion. The Mongolian went in front with an uchi-mata on the edge of the area for a waza-ari and shortly thereafter his overzealous coach was asked to leave the field of play for coaching while the contest was in play rather than during the breaks in the action. DAVTYAN was penalised with a shido for a false attack as GANBOLD applied more and more pressure but the Armenian had done enough as the five minutes elapsed and he could look forward to a place in the final.  

In the second semi-final Casablanca African Open bronze medallist Nuno CARVALHO (POR) lost out to ENGLMAIER (GER) who was defiant in the preliminary rounds. ENGLMAIER led with a waza-ari but still showed invention and the desire to win by ippon which he did with a low morote-seoi-nage with 51 seconds remaining.

The first bronze medal was claimed by Junior world champion Francisco GARRIGOS (ESP) who defeated CARVALHO to win the first senior IJF medal of his career. The young Spaniard finish fifth here a year ago which shows his development over the last 12 months. GARRIGOS scored a yuko from a ko-uchi-makikomi and added a second from a drop seoi-nage and there was no way back for the Portuguese hope CARVALHO. The second bronze medal went to GANBOLD who will be relieved to have salvaged something from his day having started as the top seed. The Mongolian outlasted Dusseldorf Grand Prix bronze medallist Phelipe PELIM (BRA) who received three shido penalties while the former was only reprimanded twice.