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France finished top of
the 2010 GB World Cup after claiming five medals on day two while
Gemma Gibbons took silver and Sarah Adlington claimed a bronze
medal for Britain.
Sunday saw 45 judoka
compete across three weight categories as the under 70kg, under
78kg and over 78kg divisions were on display.
Netherlands claimed
gold at under 70kg through Kim Polling while America’s reigning
World Champion Kayla Harrison put on a judo clinic as she surged
to gold in the under 78kg category.
The over 78kg title
went to five-time European Champion Anne-Sophie Mondiere as she
emerged triumphant in all-French final.
The Simon Hicks Player
of the Tournament award went to Belgium’s Charline van Snick who
won all her contests on Saturday by ippon as she stormed to the
under 48kg title.
Britain had nine fighters
in action on day two and Dartford-based Gemma Gibbons, along with
Sarah Adlington, who resides in Edinburgh, both shone.
Gibbons started confidently
as she bested Luxembourg’s Lynn Mossong in the first round and
advanced further after a bye in the second. The Brit triumphed
over 2010 IJF Cairo World Cup silver medallist Marie Pasquet of
France to win her pool.
The 23-year-old saw
off a resilient Linda Bolder of the Netherlands in the semi-final
to guarantee a medal. In the gold medal match the Dartford-based
fighter again faced a Dutch opponent in Kim Polling. Gibbons produced
a gutsy performance as she constantly pressed for an opening.
Despite coming close to scoring on several occasions Gibbons fell
to a waza-ari and had to settle for a silver medal.

© Mike Varey
"It has been a
tough day and I am glad with the way I fought, it is my first
World Cup medal pf the year so it is a good achievement, but I
am still disappointed I did not get the gold," Gibbons said
after stepping off the rostrum.
"At the end of
last year I had some decent results, with bronze at the European
Under-23s and University Games, then I won in Russia.
"This event has
given me some stuff I can go away and work on, so that was good."
In the over 78kg category
two-time GB World Cup winner Sarah Adlington started with a bye
in the first round. The Bayston Hll-born judoka lost out to five-time
European Champion Anne-Sophie Mondiere of France in round two.
The defeat saw Adlington enter the hunt for a bronze medal via
the repechage.
The 2010 British Open
champion had a bye in the first round of the repechage before
taking on Emilie Andeol in the bronze medal match. A waza-ari
score was enough as Adlington showed trademark craft and determination
to outwork her French foe and take a well-deserved bronze.

© Mike Varey
"The performances
were more important, but it was good to get a bronze medal at
the end," Adlington said.
"The final was
a tough fight, but I have been working on my conditioning, which
is important because I am up against some bigger opponents."
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