The first IJF event following the Rio 2016 Olympic Games began in Zagreb today ©IJF

The first International Judo Federation (IJF) event following the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro began at the Dom Sportova in Zagreb today France ending the day as the most successful country. 

The tournament in Croatia, which is hosting its fourth IJF Grand Prix event, started with five weight categories and saw triple success for France.

In the women’s under 48 kilogram category, Milica Nikolic of Serbia won the first gold medal as she defeated Israel’s Noa Minsker to secure her maiden IJF title.

Nikolic threw Minsker for an ippon with an ouchi-gari after 80 seconds.

The first bronze medal contest was won by 20-year-old Cheyenne Mounier of France, who defeated Ewa Konieczny of Poland after just six seconds of golden score as both judoka failed to score in the regulation four minutes, with a yuko.

The second bronze medal was won by 25-year-old IJF World Judo Tour debutante Fjolla Kelmendi of Kosovo.

The cousin of Olympic champion Majlinda Kelmendi stylishly defeated Russia’s Anastasia Pavlenko.

Karolina Pienkowska of Poland won her first IJF title with a superb performance in the under 52kg event.

Pienkowska defeated Distria Krasniqi of Kosovo with a yuko score.

The first bronze medal was clinched by the United States' Pan American Championships bronze medallist Angelica Delgado as she beat home favourite Tena Sikic.

The other was won by London 2012 Olympian Kelly Edwards of Great Britain after she floored Romaia’s Larisa Florian.

In the third and final women's competition of the day, France's Lola Benarroche defeated Daria Mezhetckaia of Russia in the under 57kg final.

Natalia Golomidova of Russia won a bronze medal, beating Sappho Coban of Germany, with the second minor medal going to Britain's Bekky Livesey, who triumphed over Germany's Johanna Mueller.

Eighty-one judoka were in action today as Croatia hosts its fourth IJF event ©IJF
Eighty-one judoka were in action today as Croatia hosts its fourth IJF event ©IJF

In the opening men’s competition of the tournament, France’s Vincent Manquest won his first IJF gold medal as he submitted former Qingdao Grand Prix bronze medallist Robert Mshvidobadze of Russia in the men’s under 60kg gold medal contest.

The first bronze medal in that category was won by Frenchman Cedric Revol, who beat his Germany's Philip Graf.

The other bronze went to Spain's Joaquin Gomis, who  defeated Matjaz Trbovc of Slovenia.

Slovenia’s Andraz Jereb won Grand Prix gold in his first final at this level as he narrowly defeated World Junior Championships bronze medallist Baruch Shmailov of Israel in the men’s under 66kg final.

The bronze medals were won by Tal Flicker of Israel and Abdula Abdulzhalilov of Russia as they successfully overcame Macedonia’s Denis Vieru and Serbian Ilija Ciganovic.

Day two is due see four weight categories in action, the men’s under 73kg and under 81kg categories will be joined by the women’s under 63kg and under 70kg divisions.