Jeju Grand Prix winner Yamagishi Emi got the Japanese lead underway by defeating world champion Munkhbat Urantsetseg to take gold in the women's under 48kg, while the bronze medals went to home athlete Amandine Buchard and Argentina's Beijing 2008 Olympic bronze medallist Paula Pareto.

The leading nation's second gold came in the women's under 57kg, when 2013 Paris Grand Slam silver medallist Yamamoto Anzu went one better this year to win an all-Japanese final against Tokyo Grand Slam winner Udaka Nae.

The first bronze medal in the weight class went to France's London 2012 bronze medallist Automne Pavia, while the other was claimed by Brazilian world champion Rafaela Silva.

France's world silver medallist Clarisse Agbegnenou ensured the home nation finished the day second on the overall medal table with a gold medal in the women's under 63kg.

Clarisse Agbegnenou retained her Paris Grand Slam title and took gold medal in the women's under 63kg ©IJF


She retained her Paris Grand Slam title with a win over compatriot Anne-Laure Bellard, who was contesting the first Grand Slam final of her career, while the bronze medals went to two-time World Championships bronze medallist Anicka van Emden of the Netherlands and Japanese Tokyo Grand Slam silver medallist Tashiro Miku.

Kosovan world champion Majlinda Kelmendi took the under 52kg gold with a win over Baku Grand Slam winner Jaana Sundberg of Finland, while Russian Natalia Kuziutina and German Mareen Kräh took the pair of bronze medals to complete the women's events of the day.

Mongolia's Ganbat Boldbaatar got the men's competition underway with a win in the under 60kg class.

He defeated Georgian European champion Amiran Papinashvili in a surprisingly one-sided final, while Tokyo Grand Slam bronze medallist Kido Shinji of Japan and Taipei's Tsai Ming Yen claimed the bronze medals in the weight.

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix winner Mikhail Pulyaev of Russia defeated Ukrainian former world champion Georgii Zantaraia to clinch the under 66kg gold medal.

Ganbat Boldbaatar defeated European champion Amiran Papinashvili to claim the under 60kg gold ©IJF


Meanwhile, home athlete Loïc Korval won the first bronze medal in the class, with the second going to Japanese world bronze medallist Masaaki Fukuoka.

The under 73kg competition completed the day's action as Tokyo Grand Slam runner-up Bang Gui-Man of South Korea claimed his first Grand Slam gold medal with a win over European champion Rok Drakšič of Slovenia.

The bronze medals went to French London 2012 third place finisher Ugo Legrand and the United Arab Emirates' Victor Scvortov.

Competition continues tomorrow in the women's under 70kg, under 78kg and over 78kg and men's under 81kg, under 90kg, under 100kg and over 100kg.

Watch the latest action on Judo TV here.

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