How long does it take to put on a judogi? How long does it take to get onto a tatami and bow? A lot more time than it took Uzbekistan’s Sharofiddin Boltaboev to defeat Rigaqi Nai from China at the Tashkent Grand Prix – performing what’s believed to be the fastest ever ippon in competitive judo history – in just two seconds.
The monumental tai-o-toshi sent the home crowd wild – and it also sent Boltaboev en route to his first ever gold medal on the world judo tour, defeating his compatriot Kamoliddin Rasulov in the final to take the U81KG crown.
He received his medal from the President of the Uzbekistan Judo Federation, Azizjon Kamilov.
“I wanted to win the Tashkent Grand Prix,” he said afterwards. “When I won a fight in two seconds I got the feeling I was going to I win today.”
Our woman of the day is Kathrin Unterwurzacher. In the women’s U63KG final, the Austrian defeated Anriquelis Barrios from Venezuela with a superb Osae Komi. A seventh grand prix gold for Unterwurzacher, in the seventh edition of the Tashkent Grand Prix.
“I think it’s my favourite country now,” said Unterwurzacher afterwards. “Because every time I’m here I get a medal. So I like it for the public and it’s very good here.”
This was the second day of the tournament – and Khikmatillokh Turaev took a second gold for the host nation in the men’s U73KG category – defeating Tajikistan’s Behruzi Khojazoda in a dramatic contest. Khojazoda scored first and stayed ahead until the very last second – when Turaev picked the perfect moment to make a golden score – and win standing ovation from the crowd.
His medal was presented by First Deputy Minister of Physical Culture and Sports of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Oybek Kosimov.
But Elisavet Teltsidou from Greece prevented a hat trick of golds for the home nation – taking the women’s U70KG crown in the last final of the day by defeating Gulnoza Matniyazova. It is her second title of the season.