Shiho Tanaka edges a tense -70 kg final in Ulaanbaatar

Shiho Tanaka stood tall again in the -70 kg division at the Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam, showing exactly why she is the reigning world champion in Judo. The Japanese judoka had to work for it, but she finished the day with gold after a tight final against Aoife Coughlan of Australia.

This category was loaded with quality from the start, with world and Olympic medallists spread across the draw. Even in that depth, Tanaka found a way through, reaching the final after several other favourites were knocked out in the lower half.

Coughlan, the top seed, had earned her place in the gold-medal match with a composed and demanding run. She defeated Delger Jargalsaikhan, Sinem Oruç, Sanne Van Dijke and then Miriam Butkereit in the semi-final, putting together one of the most solid campaigns of the day.

That set up a compelling final. On one side was Coughlan, opening the Olympic qualification period with strong form. On the other was Tanaka, a world champion whose true level is not always reflected by ranking alone because Japanese judoka do not always compete as often on the World Judo Tour as others.

The final delivered the kind of contest many expected: close, serious and full of resistance. Coughlan pushed Tanaka throughout, refusing to let the match drift away. In the end, just one yuko decided it, and that small margin was enough for Tanaka to take the title and secure Japan’s sixth gold medal of the Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam.

One score settled a final that never felt comfortable.

After the win, Tanaka said she had come to Mongolia with Olympic qualification points in mind and wanted to keep building her road to the Games. She also said returning for the first time in three years and winning this grand slam for a second time made her incredibly happy. Just as importantly, she felt she stayed focused under the pressure that comes with being the athlete everyone wants to beat.

Behind the final, European athletes also left their mark on the category. One bronze medal match was an all-Dutch meeting between Sanne Van Dijke and Margit De Voogd, with Van Dijke coming out on top to keep the medal in Dutch hands.

The other bronze went to Lara Cvjetko of Croatia. She claimed her place on the podium after Miriam Butkereit of Germany received a third Shido.

Those results gave Europe a visible presence in the medal matches, even on a day that ultimately belonged to Tanaka. In a stacked -70 kg field, she did not cruise, but that may have made the statement even stronger. The world champion was tested, stayed composed and finished the job.

Source: IJF.org

Image source: IJF / International Judo Federation