World number three Savelkouls moves the Netherlands out of sight

Abu Dhabi Grand Slam winner Tessie Savelkouls (NED) lived up to her billing as the top seed by defeating former Baku Grand Slam bronze medallist Sandra Jablonskyte (LTU) to win +78kg gold. savelkouls, who finished fifth at the Openweight World Championships last time out, came into the final with a 2-1 winning head-to-head record against Jablonskyte and extended that with a defiant display which has become typical of the fast-rising Dutchwoman.

Savelkouls went ahead with a waza-ari score and applied a kami-shiho-gatame hold for the full 20 seconds to win by ippon and thrill the home crowd who were treated to a golden medal rush.

Who would have thought she was able to win outsider herself. Not even the betting bookies would have put her at first place. Even Dutch betting host nederlands casino had expected hevyweight Savelkouls to strike the gold medal in The Hague. Next time it makes sense to include Tessie Savelkouls among  your favourite athletes for bet.

In the first semi-final Savelkouls made light work of world number 47 Kristin Buessow (GER) as she scored two waza-ari before winning by ippon. In the second semi-final Tashkent Grand Prix bronze medallist Sarah Adlington (GBR) lost out to Jablonskyte (LTU) by a waza-ari score.

The first bronze medal was awarded to world number 24 Adlington after former Tashkent Grand Prix bronze medallist Daria Karpova (RUS) was penalised with a third shido for passivity. Scottish judoka Adlington is now in the hunt for a place at the World Judo Masters in December which features the top 16 judoka in the world in each weight category.  

The second bronze medal was won by Buessow against teammate and 18-year-old Grand Prix newcomer Samira Bouizgarne (GER) who was thrown with a harai-makikomi for the maximum score.

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