Iroha Oi destroys 2021 U48kg Olympic Champion in the final U52kg

The Grand Prix final in Linz for women U52kg between Iroha Oi (JPN) and Distria Krasniqi should, on paper, have gone all Krasniqi’s way. The 2021 Olympic champion and 2024 Olympic silver medallist has been super harp all day but the final was another matter. As she lunged forward to plant her grip, Oi reacted perfectly and turned in with exact timing, catching the Kosovan superstar with an uchi-mata for ippon. The Japanese teenager is current cadet and junior world champion and it looks like she is chasing a senior title too; perhaps it is not too far away.

Ariane Toro Soler (ESP) and Naomi Van Krevel (NED) delivered a great first medal contest in the -52 kg category at the Upper Austria Grand Prix. It could have gone either way but only one medal could be awarded between them.
The latter looked set to score first but just missed with the landing, however it was a warning to Toro Soler that she came to win. Toro Soler responded exactly as any judoka should and attacked more and better! She scored a waza-ari with a beautiful ko-uchi-gake, leaving Van Krevel with a lot of work to do, warning or no warning! That single waza-ari dictated the winner and Ariane Toro Soler could be satisfied with a good day at the Tips Arena. 
The second medal contest of the category was fought by world medallist Mascha Ballhaus (GER) and European medallist Reka Pupp (HUN) and we could be sure of both technical and powerful moments. Ballhaus aimed to impose herself in the kumi-kata phases but Pupp was ready every time, counteracting any intended effect.
The two continued to look for superiority but it was a thin line for each to walk and neither could make the difference until just 4 seconds remained. Mascha Ballhaus forced a deep grip down the wrong side of Pupp’s back and launched an enormous pick-up, adding rotation that Pupp could not resist. Ballhaus scored ippon and released a huge smile. This bronze medal was staying local, heading to neighbouring Germany.