Judo: Tselidis, Su and Turoboyev win first Grand Slam titles in Tashkent. IJF

At the end of the third day of the 2024 Judo Tashkent Grand Slam, France topped the medals table with three gold, two silver and one bronze, ahead of Japan (two gold, three silver, six bronze) and hosts Uzbekistan (2,1,3). 23 countries won medals and 36 nations were represented. 

Theodoros Tselidis surprised everyone by winning the men's -90kg category. He defeated Bulgaria's Ivaylo Ivanov in the final to claim the first Grand Slam gold medal of his career. Japan's Rika Takayama won the women's -78kg for the second time in a row in Tashkent. China's Xin Su was the best in the women's +78kg category. Russian sensation Matvey Kanikovskiy defeated his team-mate, reigning world champion Arman Adamian, in the semi-finals of the men's -100kg, proving once again that is the man to beat at the Olympic Games as an Individual Neutral Athlete. 

However, Kanikovskiy lost his final bout to 2022 World Champion Muzzafarbek Turoboyev of Uzbekistan, much to the delight of the crowd. It was also the first Grand Slam title of Su's and Turoboyev's careers. Hyoga Ota of Japan won gold in the men's +100kg category. He defeated Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist Tamerlan Bashaev (Individual Neutral Athlete), who had earlier knocked out reigning world champion Inal Tasoev (Individual Neutral Athlete).

Tashkent 2024 Grand Slam final day results:

Women's -78 kg:
1. Rika Takayama (Japan).
2. Fanny Estelle Posvite (France).
3. Anna-Maria Wagner (Germany).
3. Alice Bellandi (Italy).

Women's +78 kg:
1. Xin Su (China).
2. Ruri Takahashi (Japan).
3. Maya Segawa (Japan).
3. Elis Startseva (Individual Neutral Athlete).

Men's -90 kg:
1. Theodoros Tselidis (Greece).
2. Ivaylo Ivanov (Bulgary).
3. Christian Parlati (Italy).
3. Davlat Bobonov (Uzbekistan).

Men's -100 kg:
1. Muzaffarbek Turoboyev (Uzbekistan).
2. Matvey Kanikovskiy (Individual Neutral Athlete).
3. Dota Arai (Japan).
3. Piotr Kuczera (Poland).

Men's +100 kg:
1. Hyoga Ota (Japan).
2. Tamerlan Bashaev (Individual Neutral Athlete).
3. Kokoro Kageura (Japan).
3. Inal Tasoev (Individual Neutral Athlete).