Maria Laborde Places Seventh at Tashkent Grand Slam

(Colorado Springs, CO) – Two-time Senior World medalist Maria Laborde (Kenosha, WI / NYAC / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center) earned Team USA’s top finish at the Tashkent Grand Slam with a seventh-place result on Friday in Uzbekistan.

Laborde opened with a win in the 48 kg division over Jacqueline Solis (GUA) in the round of 32, throwing Solis with an o uchi gari (inner leg throw) for a waza-ari (half point) score in the first 30 seconds of the match. In the third minute, Laborde scored again with a seoi o toshi (dropping shoulder throw) for ippon (instant win).

Laborde advanced into the quarter-finals on a walkover where she dropped her match to 2022 Senior World bronze medalist Abiba Abuzhakynova (KAZ) by three penalties to two. Abuzhakynova went on to win a silver medal – her sixth career Grand Slam podium finish.

In the repechage, Laborde came up against Tugce Beder (TUR) – a two-time Grand Prix medalist who threw Laborde for a waza-ari in the second minute and went on to win her second Grand Slam bronze medal.

Laborde’s finish allowed her to remain eighth on the filtered Olympic Ranking List with the top 17 in each category by June 24 earning qualification to the Paris Games.

Three-time Senior World Team member Mariah Holguin (San Antonio, TX / Universal Judo) earned a top-16 finish in the 57 kg division.

Holguin threw Chinora Sabirova (TKM) for a waza-ari with a sumi otoshi (corner drop) in the round of 32 and transitioned into a pin to close the match.

In the next round, however, Holguin was thrown for a pair of waza-ari scores by Pauline Starke (GER) who went on to win her fourth Grand Slam medal with a bronze.

Two-time Junior World medalist Jack Yonezuka (West Long Branch, NJ / NYAC / Cranford JKC) went 1-1 to finish in the top 32 in the 73 kg division.

Yonezuka, who is now 17^th in the filtered Olympic Rankings, pinned 2023 European U23 Championship bronze medalist Nariman Mirzaye (AZE) in the opening round.

He was eliminated in the next round by 2023 Senior World bronze medalist Murodjon Yuldoshev (UZB) who threw Yonezuka for a waza-ari and pinned him for ippon in the final minute.

Top eight and U.S. results are as follows:

Men’s 60 kg
1. Doston Ruziev (UZB)
2. Giorgi Sardalashvili (GEO)
3. Salih Yildiz (TUR)
3. Romain Valadier Picard (FRA)
5. Jorre Verstraeten (BEL)
5. Ayub Bliev (AIN)
7. Yeldos Smetov (KAZ)
7. Dilshodbek Baratov (UZB)

Women’s 48 kg
1. Sabina Giliazova (AIN)
2. Abiba Abuzhakynova (KAZ)
3. Tara Babulfath (SWE)
3. Tugce Beder (TUR)
5. Shira Rishony (ISR)
5. Baasankhuu Bavuudorj (MGL)
7. Julia Figueroa (ESP)
7. Maria Laborde (Kenosha, WI / NYAC / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center)

Men’s 66 kg
1. Nurali Emomali (TJK)
2. Baruch Shmailov (ISR)
3. Murad Chopanov (AIN)
3. Willian Lima (BRA)
5. Iago Abuladze (AIN)
5. Sardor Nurillaev (UZB)
7. Ryoma Tanaka (JPN)
7. Kubanychbek Aibek Uulu (KGZ)

Women’s 52 kg
1. Amandine Buchard (FRA)
2. Gulkhayo Juraeva (UZB)
3. Sosorbaram Lkhagvasuren (MGL)
3. Chelsie Giles (GBR)
5. Kokoro Fujishiro (JPN)
5. Khorloodoi Bishrelt (UAE)
7. Astride Gneto (FRA)
7. Sofia Asvesta (CYP)

Men’s 73 kg
1. Manuel Lombardo (ITA)
2. Danil Lavrentev (AIN)
3. Shakhram Akhadov (UZB)
3. Obidkhon Nomanov (UZB)
5. Makhmadbek Makhmadbekov (AIN)
5. Daniyar Shamshayev (KAZ)
7. Murodjon Yuldoshev (UZB)
7. Adam Stodolski (POL)

Also Competed: Jack Yonezuka (West Long Branch, NJ / NYAC / Cranford JKC), 1-1

Women’s 57 kg
1. Priscilla Gneto (FRA)
2. Haruka Funakubo (JPN)
3. Pauline Starke (GER)
3. Arleta Podolak (POL)
5. Maysa Pardayeva (TKM)
5. Seija Ballhaus (GER)
7. Kaja Kajzer (SLO)
7. Daria Kurbonmamadova (AIN)

Also Competed: Mariah Holguin (San Antonio, TX / Universal Judo), 1-1

Men’s 81 kg
1. Matthias Casse (BEL)
2. Shamil Borchashvili (AUT)
3. Mykhailo Svidrak (UKR)
3. Takanori Nagase (JPN)
5. Omar Rajabli (AZE)
5. Abylaikhan Zhubanazar (KAZ)
7. Vedat Albayrak (TUR)
7. Sagi Muki (ISR)

Women’s 63 kg
1. Clarisse Agbegnenou (FRA)
2. Momo Tatsukawa (JPN)
3. Nami Nabekura (JPN)
3. Andreja Leski (SLO)
5. Dena Pohl (GER)
5. Gili Sharir (ISR)
7. Inbal Shemesh (ISR)
7. Iva Oberan (CRO)

Men’s 90 kg
1. Theodoros Tselidis (GRE)
2. Ivaylo Ivanov (BUL)
3. Christian Parlati (ITA)
3. Davlat Bobonov (UZB)
5. Mikhail Igolnikov (AIN)
5. Ivan Felipe Silva Morales (CUB)
7. Robert Florentino (DOM)
7. Alex Cret (ROU)

Women’s 70 kg
1. Miriam Butkereit (GER)
2. Margaux Pinot (FRA)
3. Saki Niizoe (JPN)
3. Margit de Voogd (NED)
5. Szabina Gercsak (HUN)
5. Gulnoza Matniyazova (UZB)
7. Madina Taimazova (AIN)
7. Kelly Petersen Pollard (GBR)

Men’s 100 kg
1. Muzaffarbek Turoboyev (UZB)
2. Matvey Kanikovskiy (AIN)
3. Dota Arai (JPN)
3. Piotr Kuczera (POL)
5. Toma Nikiforov (BEL)
5. Arman Adamian (AIN)
7. Shermukhammad Jandreev (UZB)
7. Rustam Shorakhmatov (UZB)

Also Competed: Nate Keeve (San Rafael, CA / New York Athletic Club), 0-1

Women’s 78 kg
1. Rika Takayama (JPN)
2. Fanny Estelle Posvite (FRA)
3. Anna-Maria Wagner (GER)
3. Alice Bellandi (ITA)
5. Alina Boehm (GER)
5. Patricia Sampaio (POR)
7. Inbar Lanir (ISR)
7. Zhenzhao Ma (CHN)

Men’s +100 kg
1. Hyoga Ota (JPN)
2. Tamerlan Bashaev (AIN)
3. Kokoro Kageura (JPN)
3. Inal Tasoev (AIN)
5. Richard Sipocz (HUN)
5. Shokhrukhkhon Bakhtiyorov (UZB)
7. Utkirbek Turoboyev (UZB)
7. Alisher Yusupov (UZB)

Also Competed: Phil Horiuchi (West Covina, CA / LA Tenri), 0-1

Women +78 kg
1. Xin Su (CHN)
2. Ruri Takahashi (JPN)
3. Maya Segawa (JPN)
3. Elis Startseva (AIN)
5. Hilal Ozturk (TUR)
5. Lea Fontaine (FRA)
7. Rochele Nunes (POR)
7. Samira Bouizgarne (GER)