Startseva Strikes Early to Take Heavyweight Gold in Astana

The women’s heavyweight division at the Qazaqstan Barysy Grand Slam felt wide open from the start. With several leading names absent, the +78 kg category became a real test of who could seize the moment when the door opened.

Elis Startseva of Russia did exactly that.

In the final, Kamila Berlikash gave the home crowd genuine hope of a Kazakhstan gold medal. But Startseva stayed calm, moved quickly, and took control before the contest could settle. Just over a minute into the match, she created the opening she needed and finished with an armlock, ending the final decisively.

Startseva needed little time to turn an open draw into a gold medal run.

It was a tough moment for the local fans, who had been behind Berlikash, but the quality of the finish stood out. In a category described as unpredictable, Startseva’s performance in the last contest was sharp, efficient, and clear enough to leave no doubts about the result.

Afterwards, Startseva said winning gold in Kazakhstan felt incredible. She also thanked the fans for their support and explained that staying focused on her own judo and strategy helped her deal with the pressure of the final. She added that the result reflected the hard work of her team and coach.

Behind the title match, the bronze medal contests unfolded in very different ways.

The first bronze medal fight between Erica Simonetti of Italy and Adiyasuren Amarsaikhan of Mongolia never really opened up. Both athletes worked hard, but neither could separate from the other through attacking judo, and the result was decided by penalties. The score moved back and forth before Amarsaikhan came out ahead 3-2 on Shido.

For Simonetti, it was a frustrating finish and a narrow miss at the podium. Still, her fifth-place result meant Italy stayed close to the medals in a difficult category.

The second bronze medal contest also featured an Italian judoka, Tiziana Marini, facing Aida Toishibekova of Kazakhstan. Both were chasing what would have been their first World Judo Tour medal. Toishibekova was described as the more positive athlete throughout the contest, but she could not turn her attacks into a scoring action.

Marini defended solidly for long stretches, yet that resistance came at a cost. As she avoided attacks without launching enough of her own, penalties built against her, and the bronze medal eventually went to Toishibekova.

Italy had two shots at bronze, but both slipped away in tense contests.

The final standings reflected how mixed and competitive the category had been. Startseva took gold, Berlikash earned silver for the host nation, and the bronze medals went to Amarsaikhan and Toishibekova. Simonetti and Marini both finished in fifth place.

In a division with space for a new name to rise, Startseva did more than take her chance. She finished the day with authority and left Astana as the athlete who handled the chaos best.

Source: IJF.org

Image source: IJF / International Judo Federation