The Tokyo Grand Slam bronze medallist, 19, won her final against Romania’s Corina Caprioriu Caprioriu, who was celebrating her 29th birthday.

Yoshida initially attacked with a kosoto-gari and drove the World Judo Masters bronze medallist over towards the edge of the tatami to take the lead, and after four minutes that was enough to win her first Grand Slam title.

The first bronze medal was won by Canada’s Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard, who was successful against Italy's Giulia Quintavalle, before The Netherlands’ Sanne Verhagen beat Austria’s Sabrina Filzmoser to take the second. 

In the women’s under 48kg, Tbilisi Grand Prix silver medallist Julia Figueroa of Spain won her first IJF gold medal as she saw off Russia's European bronze medallist Kristina Rumyantseva.

Rumyantseva, winner of the bronze at the Russian Grand Slam in 2012, had the chance to win her country’s first gold medal in Tyumen, but Figueroa still had to measure of the home judoka at the third time of asking as she trapped her opponent in osaekomi for 20 seconds.

The first bronze medal was awarded to Russia’s Irina Dolgova at the expense of Romania’s Monica Ungureanu.

The second was also won by a Russian, Alesya Kuznetsova, defeating compatriot Nataliya Kondratyeva.  

Budapest Grand Prix bronze medallist Joana Ramos of Portugal celebrated winning her first Grand Slam gold medal in the women’s under 52kg category as she continues to defy the odds at the age of 33.

China’s Asian Championships winner Yingnan Ma, fifth at the World Championships last year in Chelyabinsk, fell behind to a waza-ari after 40 seconds and that proved to be the difference as Ramos, silver medal winner at the 2010 Russia Grand Slam, showed her class. 

The first bronze medal was clinched by Germany’s Mareen Kraeh, dismissing Israel’s Gili Cohen, whose fellow countryman Roni Schwartz won the second against Finland’s Jaana Sundberg.

Asian Championships winner Munkhzaya Tsedevsuren won an-all Mongolian under 63kg final, prevailing in a scrappy contest as Tserennadmid Tsend-Ayush, winner of her home event in Ulaanbaatar earlier this month, was penalised on three occasions while her colleague was given only two penalties.

The first bronze medal was won by Israel’s Yarden Gerbi against Italy’s Edwige Gwend, while the second was won by Great Britain's Alice Schlesinger against Sweden’s Anna Bernholm.

On the men’s side, last year's Tyumen Grand Slam bronze medallist Uali Kurzhev of Russia defeated Minsk European Open winner Guillaume Chaine of France in the under 73kg final.

Chaine was contesting his first World Judo Tour final, but Kurzhev was not going to be denied in his home country and won by a yuko score.

The first bronze medal was won by Germany’s Igor Wandtke, defeateding Canada’s Arthur Margelidon, while the second went to Russia's Musa Mogushkov after Japan’s Hiroyuki Akimoto could not compete for a place on the podium due to a leg injury sustained in his previous contest.

All Japan Championships winner and reigning Tyumen Grand Slam champion Shinji Kido successfully defended his title as he beat European bronze medallist Ashley McKenzie of Great Britain in the under 60kg final.

McKenzie, the world number 28, was celebrating his 26th birthday and had never won a Grand Slam.

He needed a strong showing to book his ticket to the World Championships in Astana next month.

Kido proved his quality on the international stage, though, as once again as he submitted the British judoka with shime-waza after leading with a yuko.

The first bronze medal was claimed by Kazakhstan’s Aibek Imashev against Russia’s Islam Yashuev.

The second also went to Kazakhstan as Askhat Telmanov defeated Monaco’s Yann Siccardi.

World Judo Masters silver medallist Tomofumi Takajo defeated Gabit Yessimbetov of Kazakhstan in the under 66kg final to keep Japan on the gold standard.

World number 207 Yessimbetov, last seen on the tour in 2014 finishing fifth at the first Tbilisi Grand Prix, was second best in the final as he fell behind to a waza-ari and accumulated shido penalties, a sign of his struggles in dealing with the ability of his opponent. 

The first bronze medal was won by Mongolia’s Altansukh Dovdon against Russia’s Iman Sultanov, while the second went to another home favourite Yakub Shamilov who saw off compatriot Anzaur Ardanov.

Tomorrow, the heavyweights are set to get their chance to secure vital world ranking points in the race to be seeded for the World Championships and ultimately to qualify for next year's Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. 

The women’s under 70kg, under 78kg and over 78kg judoka will be joined in action on day two by the men’s under 81kg, under 90kg, under 100kg and over 100kg judoka.

Watch the latest action on Judo TV here. 


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