Kirari Yamaguchi dominates with gold U63kg

In the women’s -70kg final at the Zagreb Grand Prix, Japan’s Kirari Yamaguchi displayed a commanding performance to secure the gold medal, defeating France’s Manon Deketer. Yamaguchi wasted no time, scoring an early waza-ari, which she swiftly followed up with a floor immobilization, earning ippon and her country’s third gold in the women’s divisions.

Though Deketer, a 2022 World Championship bronze medallist, wasn’t the favorite in her half of the draw, she proved her resilience throughout the day. After methodically navigating a tough contest against Israel’s Inbal Shemesh and overpowering Geke Van Den Berg (NED) in the semi-final, Deketer reached the final but was outmatched by Yamaguchi's precision and strength.

Meanwhile, Croatia’s Iva Oberan, who was the top seed in the competition, was eager to impress on home soil. She started strong, defeating Hungary’s Brigitta Varga and France’s Gaetane Deberdt, but faced a formidable opponent in Yamaguchi during the semi-final. Despite her best efforts, Oberan was unable to overcome the 2024 Asian Champion and had to settle for a shot at bronze.

In the first bronze medal contest, Brazil’s Nauana Silva claimed her first Grand Prix podium finish, defeating Geke Van Den Berg (NED) with a waza-ari from a well-executed kata-guruma. Silva's victory marked a milestone in her career, highlighting her growing presence on the international stage.

The second bronze medal bout saw Iva Oberan take on Inbal Shemesh (ISR). After a tactical and tense contest, Shemesh was penalized three times, handing the bronze to Oberan and giving the Croatian crowd reason to celebrate. Oberan’s win solidified Croatia’s ability to compete at the highest level, earning medals on each day of the competition.

Yamaguchi's gold capped a successful tournament for Japan, adding to their dominance in the women’s categories at the Zagreb Grand Prix.