By Liam Morgan

The over 100kg final was an all-Georgian affair and was won by Levani Matiashvili (blue) ©IJF/FacebookGeorgia ensured they ended the International Judo Federation (IJF) Grand Prix in Tbilisi on a high as they claimed two gold medals to the delight of the home crowd inside the Sports Palace.

A Georgian winner was guaranteed in the men's under 90 kilogram category as team-mates Beka Gviniashvili and Varlam Liparteliani faced off for the title, with Gviniashvili proving the strongest.

Hungary's Krisztian Toth sealed the first bronze medal on offer by virtue of a victory over Shirali Juraev of Azerbaijan, while Mongolian Otgonbaatar Lkhagvasuren kept up his country's impressive showing at the tournament by beating Sweden's Marcus Nyman to the final podium position.

The raucous support inside the arena were then treated to another all-Georgian final in the men's heavyweight over 100kg division as Levani Matiashvili got the better of Adam Okruashvili to take gold in a thrilling final.

Ukraine's Oleksandr Gordiienko triumphed over Russian Anton Krivobokov to take the opening bronze medal before Russia did manage to secure a podium spot thanks to Aslan Kambiev's victory against Abdullo Tangriev of Uzbekistan.

Olympic champion Kayla Harrison (second left) continued her dominance of the women's under 78kg category by winning gold in Tbilisi ©IJF/FacebookOlympic champion Kayla Harrison (second left) continued her dominance of the women's under 78kg category by winning gold in Tbilisi ©IJF



There was to be no Georgian monopoly of the men's medals on the final day of the Grand Prix however as Azerbaijan's rising talent Elmar Gasimov won the under 100kg category thanks to a hard-fought win against Germany's Dimitri Peters.

Karl-Richard Frey added to the German's medal total by beating Azerbaijan's Elkhan Mammadov to bronze, while Latvia's Jevgenijs Borodavko denied the host nation another podium spot as he ousted Georgia's Alexsandre Mskhaladze.

The women's under 78kg category threw up a fascinating contest as Olympic champion Kayla Harrison of America edged past France's London 2012 bronze medallist Audrey Tcheuméo to continue her dominance of the division.

Kerstin Thiele ensured it would be another fruitful day for the Germans, taking bronze by overcoming the challenge of Italian Assunta Galeone, and there was also a podium finish for North Korea as Kyong Sol beat Hungary's Abigel Joo.

China's Yu Song beat Svitlana Iaromka of Ukraine to take victory in the over 78kg category ©IJFChina's Yu Song beat Svitlana Iaromka of Ukraine to take victory in the over 78kg category ©IJF

China's Song Yu added to her success at her home Grand Prix in Qingdao last year by winning the women's over 78kg division as she got the better of Ukraine's Svitlana Iaromka with an ippon to take a well-deserved gold, while the bronze medals went to Germany's Franziska Konitz and Emilie Andeol.

The next IJF Grand Prix series event is due to start on Friday (March 20) in the Turkish city of Samsun and conclude next Sunday (March 29). 

Watch the latest action on Judo TV here.

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