All Japan final U48kg in Tashkent

The first medal contest of 2025 Grand Slam in Tashkent for women U48kg saw Sabina Giliazova (IJF) face new Central Asian hero Akhliya Muminova (TJK) to earn a bronze medal in the lightest category of the event. This is Muminova’s first WJT final block, a tall order for the 22 year old.

Giliazova opened the bidding early, putting a yuko on the board, the new / old score that we are all getting used to, employed in Tashkent for the third time in 2025, following the Paris and Baku grand slams. Giliazova consolidated her lead with a minute to go, throwing for ippon with a seoi-otoshi which dropped Muminova off the wrong side but flat on her back. 

In the second bronze medal contest of the afternoon, Marina Vorobeva (IJF), with no results on the World Judo Tour so far in her young career, faced Xinran Hui of China, a current junior world champion. At the halfway point, despite a lot of movement, only a shido a piece was added to the scoreboard. However, there were indications from Vorobeva that she would hunt for the win in ne-waza. Neither judoka was afraid to work on the floor but Vorobeva began as the more aggressive of the two there. Hui soon caught up though, letting her opponent know that it may not be a wise tactic after all. 

Going into golden score and the pace remained unchanged. The yo-yo of advantages from white to blue and back again continued until just over a minute into extra time when Hui forced an opening and held her opponent for the required 5 seconds, adding a yuko to her side of the board and a first grand slam medal to her CV.

In the all-Japanese final, Hikari Yoshioka, 3 times a WJT medallist, and 19 year old Kano Miyaki, already a double Tokyo Grand Slam medallist, were keen to finsih the day on the top spot. In the end ot was Miyaki who took a tactical victory in the third minute of golden score. The first gold of the day is headed to Japan.