Two Fifth Placed Finishes for GB Judo on Final Day in Cancun

GB Judo finished the final day of competition at the Cancun Grand Prix with two fifth and one seventh placed finishes as they leave Cancun with a single Bronze medal won by Amy Livesey.

Frazer Chamberlain produced a superb performance on the mat in the -90kg competition as he caused a number of upsets throughout the day to finish in fifth position.

He started the day in fine fashion as he won his opening contest against Jose Peralta with the Argentinian lasting less than thirty seconds before Chamberlain registered ippon – a lovely piece of ashi-waza to start the day!

It would be in the second round in which Chamberlain would register one of the best wins of his career as he knocked out the 2017 World Champion and current European Championships Silver medallist, Nemanja Majdov from Serbia.

The British fighter did well to unsettle Majdov throughout the contest causing the Serbian to pick up shidos at regular intervals. A waza-ari score from Chamberlain mid-way through the contest would settle the fight. He demonstrated good contest management in the later stages to keep Majdov at bay.

Germany’s Marc Odenthal awaited Chamberlain in the Quarter Finals. He found himself caught by the German early on though as he dropped into Repechage. A well disguised uchi-mata was enough to register waza-ari before Chamberlain was held down on the mat to secure the win.

Much to the delight of the Brit, he was able to defeat Canada’s Zachary Burt courtesy of an ouchi-gari which was enough to score waza-ari and secure his place in the Bronze medal contest. The medal fight was over all too quickly for Chamberlain though as Brazil’s Rafael Macedo proved too much for the Camberley judoka.

Sarah Adlington (+78kg) claimed a Fifth place finish on the mat in Mexico and began the day in the Quarter Finals against Russia’s Kseniia Chibisova. It was a quick contest as Adlington got caught by a throw by the Russian which was originally scored a waza-ari before being upgraded to ippon within the opening minute.

This set up a Repechage contest against America’s Mackenzie Williams and it was a fight that Adlington was always in control of. Williams picked up shidos in increasing frequency. The Scot had a few close chances to end the contest early but it would be a third shido which would account for Williams.

The Bronze medal contest was another close affair against Beatriz Souza. The Brazilian athlete played a very cautious game as prevented Adlington from making solid attacks which resulted in Adlington picking up shidos. The penalties would eventually become Adlington’s downfall as a third shido meant that the Scottish athlete would pick up a Fifth placed finish.

Natalie Powell (-78kg) picked up a Seventh placed finish in Mexico with defeat in the Repechage. She opened her account with a hard-fought victory over Italy’s Valeria Ferrari. The Italian fighter made life difficult for Powell early on with an aggressive approach that unsettle the Brit. An ouchi-gari was enough to take the contest and ensure progression into the Quarter Finals.

Brazil’s Samanta Soares posed a bigger threat to Powell in the Quarter Finals. The World No.27 was a fighter in form following two Bronze medal wins in her two previous contests and this form would continue against Powell as a neat ouchi-gari to seoi-nagi combination was enough to defeat Powell and drop her into the repechage.