Casse, Butkereit and Agbegnenou add another Grand Slam gold in Tashkent. IJF

Nearly 500 judoka from 68 countries gathered in Tashkent for the 3rd year of the Grand Slam tournament in Uzbekistan. Day 2 of the tournament saw another Grand Slam gold medal for Matthias Casse (Belgium), Miriam Butkereit (Germany) and Clarisse Agbegnenou (France), who had already won in Paris earlier this year.

Even Rio 2016 gold medallist Khasan Khalmurzaev (AIN) and Tokyo 2020 champion Takanori Nagase (Japan) could not stop the Belgian from reaching the final of the men's -81kg. Casse defeated Austria's Shamil Borchashvili to claim the gold medal. 

Tokyo 2020 champion Agbegnenou defeated Japan's Momo Tatsukawa in the women's -63kg final. In the women's -70kg final, Butkereit denied France their second gold of the day by defeating Margaux Pinot in the 46th second of the bout.

World runner-up Manuel Lombardo (Italy) was the best in the men's -73 kg category. He defeated Danil Lavrentev (AIN) in the final, while two judokas from the host country, Shakhram Akhadov and Obidkhon Nomanov, took bronze medals.

Manuel Lombardo (Italy) celebrates his victory in the men's -73 kg category. IJF
Manuel Lombardo (Italy) celebrates his victory in the men's -73 kg category. IJF

Results from the second day of the Tashkent Grand Slam:

Women’s -63 kg:
1. Clarisse Agbegnenou (France).
2. Momo Tatsukawa (Japan).
3. Nami Naberuka (Japan).
3. Andreja Leski (Slovenia).

Women’s -70 kg:
1. Miriam Butkereit (Germany).
2. Margaux Pinot (France).
3. Saki Niizoe (Japan).
3. Margit de Voogd (Netherlands).

Men’s -73 kg:
1. Manuel Lombardo (Italy).
2. Danil Lavrentev (Individual Neutral Athlete).
3. Shakhram Akhadov (Uzbekistan).
3. Obidkhon Nomanov (Uzbekistan).

Men’s -81 kg:
1. Matthias Casse (Belgium).
2. Shamil Borchashvili (Austria).
3. Mykhailo Svidrak (Ukraine).
3. Takanori Nagase (Japan).