World bronze medallist Amandine Buchard is only 19-years-old but has already enjoyed much success on the international judo scene.

The world junior champion, European silver medallist and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix winner added further success to her already well-established judo career as she secured under 48 kilogram gold inside the Halla Sport Complex to get the ball rolling for the French.

Facing Ukraine's European bronze medallist Maryna Cherniak, the French starlet opened the scoring with a waza-ari from a sode-tsurikomi-goshi and went back to the same technique to add a second to secure the gold.

Buchard's team mate and Glasgow European Open silver medallist Melanie Clement failed to join the gold medal winner on the podium as she recorded two shido penalties to miss out on bronze to Israel's Shira Rishony.

The other bronze medal match was over inside the first minute as South Korea's Asian Games bronze medallist Jeong Bo Kyeong defeated Romainia's Qingdao Grand Prix winner Monica Ungureanu with an ippon.

Automne Pavia was victorious in the all-French under 57kg final as she secured gold with a win over Helene Receveaux ©IJF



France's second gold medal came in an all-French under 57kg final where world bronze medallist and world number one Automne Pavia got the better of Budapest Grand Prix silver medallist Helene Receveaux.

A waza-ari score was the difference between the two competitors as Pavia dominated the encounter from start to finish.

Both bronze medals were decided by shido penalties.

Rome European Open silver medallist Ivelina Ilieva made her way to an International judo Federation (IJF) podium for the first time in her career with a victory over Tashkent Grand Prix silver medallist Camila Minakawa of Israel, while Canadian national champion Stefanie Tremblay gifted the second to Slovenia's former world bronze medallist Vlora Bedeti after receiving four shido penalties for disqualification.

It took just two minutes for Romania's world silver medallist Andreea Chitu to take gold in the under 52kg category as she scored ippon with an uki-goshi against Japan's Shishime Ai.

Chitu won gold at the Tashkent Grand Prix last month, as well as silver and bronze at Grand Slams in Abu Dhabi and Tyumen respectively, and is well on course to qualify for ultimate contest in world judo, the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Israel took another medal in the first bronze medal final as Gili Cohen defeated France's defeated Glasgow European Open winner Lucile Duport.

The second bronze medal was won by Spain's former European bronze medallist Laura Gomez who defeated 22-year-old World Team silver medallist Tsolmon Adiyasambuu of Mongolia.

Kim Won Jin had the home fans on their feet as he defended his under 60kg title ©IJF



The home crowds were given reason to cheer in the opening men's competition of the Grand Prix as Kim Won Jin defended his Jeju title with a win against Japanese newcomer Kawano Ryoya in the under 60kg final.

Mongolian top seed and former world silver medallist Dashdavaa Amartuvshin bounced back from his disappointingly-early exit to dominate Azerbaijan's Baku Grand Slam winner Orkhan Safarov.

The second bronze medal went to another Mongolian, this time in the form of 22-year-old Abu Dhabi Grand Slam bronze medallist Ganbold Kherlen, who defeated Havana Grand Prix bronze medallist Ashley McKenzie of Great Britain.

The under 66kg contest was a reversal of the last as Ulaanbaatar Grand Prix bronze medallist Tateyama Sho secured his first gold on the IJF circuit with victory against Korea's 2013 Junior world champion An Baul by just a single shido penalty.

Great Britain's Baku Grand Slam winner Colin Oates made amends for his team mate's loss in the previous contest as he defeated Israel's Golan Pollack with a yuko and waza-ari score.

A battle of Russian and Ukraine ended in favour of the former in the final bronze medal contest of the opening day after Tyumen Grand Slam bronze medallist Anzaur Ardanov sealed a golden-score ippon to beat world bronze medallist and top seed Georgii Zantaraia.

Action will continue in Jeju tomorrow as the women's under 63 and 70kg contest take to the tatami, alongside the men's under 73 and 81kg competitions.

Watch the latest action on Judo TV here.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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