Renshall shows great resilience to claim Zagreb Grand Prix Gold

Lucy Renshall continued her impressive form on the International Judo Federartion (IJF) World Tour by claiming gold at the Zagreb Grand Prix.

Entering as the world number one, Renshall overcame Ichinkhorloo Munkhtsedev (MGL), Perrine Saint-Etienne (FRA) and Iva Oberan (CRO) to win her pool and progress to the semi-finals where she faced a familiar opponent in Lubjana Piovesana (AUT) for a place in the final.

The semi-final started as a cagey affair with both judoka awarded two early shidos for avoiding the grip. Renshall’s place in the final was secured when Piovesana stepped out of the contest area for a third shido.

Renshall faced Jisu Kim (KOR) in the final and with the pair at a shido each the contest entered Golden Score.

Renshall picked up a second shido before a heavy landing in the second minute of Golden Score saw her suffer a nosebleed that required medical attention. A heavily bandaged Renshall returned to the tatami after a 10-minute pause in proceedings. Renshall did not let this, or a second doctor call to replace her bandage, stop her. She forced her opponent to concede a second and, in the twelfth minute of the contest, a third, decisive, shido.

After a mammoth thirty-two minutes on the tatami, Renshall was awarded her first IJF Grand Prix gold medal.

Elsewhere there were opening round exits for the remaining GB judoka.

Jemima Yeats-Brown (Ryecroft Judokwai; Ian Oliver) looked to have contorted her way out of a score, but an ippon score was awarded for a throw by her opponent Kaila Issoufi (FRA) in round two, following an opening round bye.

In the -81kg category, Lachlan Moorhead (Sheffield JC; Matt Moorhead) was eliminated by a single waza-ari score by Adam Kopecky (CZE).

In the -73kg category, Daniel Powell and Eric Ham (Glossop JC; Geoff Ham) were defeated by Alexandru Raicu (ROU) and John Waizenegger (SUI) respectively.

Sunday is the final day of the Zagreb Grand Prix, where four GB judoka will be in action.

You can watch all the action from the Zagreb Grand Prix LIVE at live.ijf.org each day.

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