Ivanov, who was supported by the IJF to compete in the United Arab Emirates’ capital, shone throughout the day and won all six of his contests,including the final against the Tashkent Grand Prix winner.

He fired himself in front in the gold medal match with a waza-ari, after which Toma was penalised with shido for passivity and then again for the same offence at the halfway point.

Ivanov received a shido for a false attack before Toma was penalised for passivity with 90 seconds left, but it was a second waza-ari for the Bulgarian that ultimately settled the contest and ensured a historic moment for his country.

The first bronze medal was won by Hungary’s Laszlo Csoknyai at the expense of Brazil’s Victor Penalber, while the second went to Russia’s Sirazhudin Magomedov with compatriot Khasan Khalmurzaev missing out on the podium.

Earlier, in the men’s under 73kg category, world bronze medallist Changrim An was in superb form as he earned South Korea its third gold medal of the tournament.

The 21-year-old, who only stepped up to the senior circuit a year ago, was unbeatable as he showed his ippon judo to win four out of his five contests by the maximum score, including the final against Germany's Paris Grand Slam bronze medallist Igor Wandtke.

Wandtke was penalised with a shido for passivity before An launched forward into a ko-uchi-gari for ippon.

The first bronze medal was claimed by Israel’s Sagi Muki, who surpassed Belgium’s Dirk Van Tichelt, while the second went to Olympic champion Lasha Shavdatuashvili of Georgia to the detriment of China’s Yinjirigala Sai.

The Israeli team had originally been denied visas by the UAE authorities to compete in the event before IJF President Marius Vizer intervened. 

Meanwhile, in the women’s under 63kg class, world silver medallist Clarisse Agbegnenou of France continued her hot-streak of winning a medal at every IJF event since 2013.

Agbegnenou, 23, hoping to compete in her first Olympic Games next year in Rio de Janeiro, defeated Paris Grand Slam bronze medallist Martyna Trajdos of Germany by ippon in just 61 seconds.

The first bronze medal was won by The Netherlands’ Anicka van Emden, who was too strong for Russia’s Ekaterina Valkova, but her compatriot Juul Franssen lost out to Israel’s Yarden Gerbi in the battle for the second.

In the women’s under 70kg division, Paris Grand Slam runner-up Laura Vargas Koch of Germany triumphed after overcoming Baku 2015 European Games winner Kim Polling of The Netherlands in the final.

Vargas Koch looked confident walking onto the tatami and attacked from the outset, scoring a yuko with a ko-uchi-gake before Polling fought her way back to take the lead with two yuko scores.

The contest was settled though when Vargas Koch submitted Polling for a monumental victory. 

The first bronze medal was clinched by Poland’s Katarzyna Klys, who edged Canada’s Kelita Zupancic, while the second was won by Japan’s Chizuru Arai who shut out Croatia’s Barbara Matic.

After two days of competition in Abu Dhabi, the medal table makes pleasant viewing for South Korea.

They are top with three gold medals.

France are second with two golds and one bronze, while Germany are in third position with one gold, two silvers and one bronze.

The event is due to conclude tomorrow with the women’s under 78kg and over 78kg judoka being joined in action by their male counterparts from the under 90kg, under 100kg and over 100kg categories.

To watch the latest action on Judo TV click here.


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