Russia has begun to break through the barricades of world sports isolation. Recently, our team has returned to participate in judo competitions, having enlisted the support of the international federation. And then she confirmed her level.

Russian athletes have collected an excellent catch on the tatami in Ulaanbaatar, having won six medals in the first two days, including two gold ones.

The most important victory in today’s realities.

Photo: © Russian Judo Federation

Iconic Gold

The Grand Slam tournament in Ulaanbaatar, in which Russian judokas returned to the international arena, has already brought our athletes two gold medals. Madina Taimazova, who competed in the 70 kg category, defeated Japanese Yoko Ono in the final. Mahmadbek Mahmadbekov in weight up to 73 kg defeated Mongolian Tsogtbaatar Tsend-Ochir.

In addition to two gold medals, the Russians also took a bronze medal on Saturday. In the weight category up to 63 kg, Kamila Badurova dealt with the Israeli Gefen Primo. On the first day of the tournament, our team won three more prizes: two silver and one bronze.

Makhmadbekov, who previously won Grand Slam tournaments in Baku and Kazan, dealt with opponents from Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Israel on the way to the final. In the duel for gold, the Russian was enough for one action evaluated by the judges. In the end, our judoist began to frankly leave the fight, but avoided comments and got a well-deserved victory.

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The bronze medalist of the Tokyo Olympics, Taimazova, turned out to be head and shoulders above her rival in the final. Having first received a “waza-ari” rating, the Russian woman made an even more impressive throw, for which the judges awarded her a clear victory.

Ukraine has nothing to answer?

Gold at the tournament in Ulaanbaatar can already be considered a landmark for Russia: this is the first major prize for our judokas in the era of total isolation. However, not only for judoists: now martial arts masters in Mongolia are puffed up for their colleagues from dozens of other sports, from the competitions in which our teams have so far been excluded.

They take the rap and show that due to unsportsmanlike circumstances, the judo world could be left without one of the strongest teams on the planet. In the overall medal standings of the current tournament, Russian judokas are in the top three – our team is second only to Japan and Mongolia in the ranking.

Photo: © Russian Judo Federation

True, for the sake of admitting Russia, the federation had to pay with Ukraine. On the day of the start of the competition, the national team of a neighboring country announced a total boycott of tournaments under the auspices of the International Judo Federation:

Ukrainians are categorically not satisfied with the position of the organization in relation to Russia. However, the blackmail did not bear fruit: the federation retained all rights for our athletes and continued to advocate for justice.

So now Ukraine simply has nothing to respond to the successes of the Russians in Ulaanbaatar. It seems that the national team has already exhausted its tools of influence on the sports authorities, so sooner or later it will also have to return to business – and sort things out with opponents already on the mat.