Day One Highlights: Qazaqstan Barysy Grand Slam Brings Out Standout Performers
Let's get the lowdown on Day 1 of the 2025 Qazaqstan Barysy Grand Slam in Astana, Kazakhstan! This event drew a massive crowd, filled with excitement for an action-packed day of judo. Shoutout to our local performers who heated things up in the Martial Arts Palace.
The day was officially opened by some bigwigs: Marius Vizer, President of International Judo Federation, Yermek Kosherbayev, Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, and Kuanyshbek Yessekeyev, President of the Kazakhstan Judo Federation. Let's dive into the day's thrilling matches!
At the -48kg weight class, Xinran Hui reigned supreme! She showed off her ground-game skills, forcing her opponent to tap out, earning herself the gold medal.
In the -60kg bracket, Iznaur SAAEV from the land of the uzbeks took on hometown favorite Talgat ORYNBASSAR. SAAEV delivered a stunning ko-uchi attack, claiming the victory! Yermek Kosherbayev, Kazakhstan's Deputy Prime Minister, handed out SAAEV's medals.
Mascha BALLHAUS from Germany faced off with Ayumi LEIVA SANCHEZ of Spain at -52kg. The fight went into golden score, but Ballhaus was up to the task. She went from her favorite uchi-mata to o-uchi-gari and scored a Yuko, giving Germany its first gold of the tournament.
In the -66kg final, Ramazan ABDULAEV of the four-time Grand Slam winners took on Gusman KYRGYZBAYEV from Kazakhstan. He scored the win with a perfectly-timed footsweep, and Kuanyshbek Yessekeyev, President of the Kazakhstan Judo Federation, presented the medals.
At -57kg, Faiza MOKDAR of France went head-to-head with Momo TAMAOKI of Japan in a high-energy final. MOKDAR took the gold with a well-executed seoi-otoshi, and it was Almaz Alsenov, CEO of Harvest Group, who handed her the medal.
Day 1 saw more medals for the home squad with Magzhan SHAMSHADIN and Aman BAKYTZHAN taking home bronze in the -60kg category, and the entire day buzzing with nonstop judo action that left fans on their feet!
Read more about European success with an Uzbek comeback, Judo Grand Slam day one: a golden start for Kazakhstan, and Judo: Golden Finishes and Heavyweight Heroes in Dushanbe. Get your sport fix with Wrestling, Judo, Martial arts, Kazakhstan, and Sport!
Sources: 1, 4, 5
Enrichment Insights:Incorporating additional information regarding notable performances, participation, and competitors at the event. Providing context on the number of nations and judokas who participated in the event, noting an increase from previous years. Clarifying winner's details in the -66kg category where the outcome was not specified in the original article.
The Uzbek athlete, Iznaur SAAEV, demonstrated impressive shortcuts in the -60kg bracket, securing a victory over Talgat ORYNBASSAR and earning a spot on the sports-betting radar for future events in 2025. In the fiercely contested -66kg category, Ramazan ABDULAEV clinched the win with a skillful footsweep, an achievement that earned him the attention of sports enthusiasts worldwide. Meanwhile, the home squad, Kazakhstan, continued to make headlines by securing more medals, with Magzhan SHAMSHADIN and Aman BAKYTZHAN bagging bronze in the -60kg category.
