Yonezuka Nabs Second Austria Grand Prix Medal
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by Bill Kellick
Austria has been kind to Jack Yonezuka (West Long Branch, NJ / NYAC / Cranford JKC).
The World No. 12 and Paris 2024 Olympian went 4-1 in the men's 73 kg division, battling through a stacked field to claim bronze for his second career Grand Prix medal on Saturday at the Upper Austria Grand Prix in Linz. His performance comes two years after he won his first medal on the Senior World Tour at the same event and makes it three straight years that an American has stood on the podium in Linz. Fellow Olympian Maria Laborde (Kenosha, Wis. / NYAC / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center) took bronze last year in the women's 48 kg competition.
"I really like the atmosphere here in Austria, it's a great event for me," said Yonezuka. "I've been feeling a lot more like myself recently. I'm just enjoying judo, having fun, staying in the moment. I'm really happy to come away with a medal."
After a bye into the round of 32, Yonezuka defeated Zelemkhan Batchaev (BEL) when the Belgian picked up his third and disqualifying penalty in the final minute.
In the round of 16, Yonezuka and Yehonatan Elbaz (ISR) each scored a yuko (partial point) in the first two minutes, but Yonezuka was able to execute a throw for a second yuko with 13 seconds remaining to claim the win.
Yonezuka made quick work of Guilherme De Oliveira (BRA) in the quarterfinals, pinning the 2024 Junior Pan American Champion in the first minute of action to earn a berth in the semi-final round.
The semi-final match against 2018 Junior World Champion Bilal Ciloglu (TUR) went to Golden Score (sudden death overtime), before Ciloglu threw Yonezuka for a waza-ari (half point) in the second minute of extra time to claim the victory.
Facing 2016 Olympic Champion Fabio Basile (ITA) for the bronze medal, the match was scoreless through the four-minute regulation period and needed Golden Score to determine a winner. Two minutes into the extra session, Yonezuka threw Basile with a ko-soto-gake (small outer leg hook) to earn his second bronze medal at the event.
Top eight and U.S. results from the Upper Austria Grand Prix are as follows:
Men’s 60 kg
1. Romain Valadier Picard (FRA)
2. Dilshot Khalmatov (UKR)
3. Sherzod Davlatov (KAZ)
3. Sei Sato (JPN)
5. Aman Bakytzhan (KAZ)
5. Retsu Matsunaga (JPN)
7. Murad Muradli (AZE)
7. B.Tralhao Fernandes (POR)
Also Competed: Christopher Velazco (Coral Springs, Fla. / NYAC / Ki-itsu-sai National Training Center), 0-1
Women’s 48 kg
1. Mitsuki Kondo (JPN)
2. Eva Perez Soler (ESP)
3. Amber Gersjes (NED)
3. Laura Martinez Abelenda (ESP)
5. Abiba Abuzhakynova (KAZ)
5. Vera Wandel (NED)
7. Mary Dee Vargas Ley (CHI)
7. Sila Ersin (TUR)
Also Competed: Maria Laborde (Kenosha, Wis. / NYAC / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center)
Men’s 66 kg
1. Ruslan Pashayev (AZE)
2. Ronald Lima (BRA)
3. Adrian Nieto Chinarro (ESP)
3. David Garcia Torne (ESP)
3. 5. Gusman Kyrgyzbayev (KAZ)
5. Vazha Margvelashvili (GEO)
7. Petros Christodoulides (CYP)
7. Denis Vieru (MDA)
Also Competed: Ari Berliner (Cumming, Ga. / NYAC / Jason Morris Judo Center), 0-1; Lenny Sheynfeld (Staten Island, N.Y. / NYAC / Pedro's Judo Center ), 0-1
Women’s 52 kg
1. Iroha Oi (JPN)
2. Roza Gyertyas (HUN)
3. Gabriela Conceicao (BRA)
3. Ayumi Leiva Sanchez (ESP)
5. Alyssia Poulange (FRA)
5. Tatum Keen (GBR)
7. Pauline Cuq (FRA)
7. Evelyn Beaton (CAN)
Also Competed: Toni Pepia (Staten Island, N.Y. / NYAC / Colton Brown Training Center), 0-1
Men’s 73 kg
1. Ethan Nairne (GBR)
2. Bilal Ciloglu (TUR)
3. Jack Yonezuka (West Long Branch, N.J. / NYAC / Cranford JKC)
3. Daniel Cargnin (BRA)
5. Fabio Basile (ITA)
5. Guilherme De Oliveira (BRA)
7. Kyprianos Andreou (CYP)
7. Anton Shuhalieiev (ESP)
Women’s 57 kg
1. Ayami Takano (JPN)
2. Moa Ono (JPN)
3. Marta Garcia Martin (ESP)
3. Martha Fawaz (FRA)
5. Dora Bortas (CRO)
5. Jessica Lima (BRA)
7. Pihla Matikainen (FIN)
7. Mariana Esteves (GUI)
Also Competed: Noran Elmahroukey (New Providence, N.J. / NYAC / Colton Brown Training Center), 0-1
Men’s 81 kg
1. Adilet Almat (KAZ)
2. Vusal Galandarzade (AZE)
3. Omar Rajabli (AZE)
3. Mihajlo Simin (SRB)
5. Eetu Ihanamaki (FIN)
5. Vasilije Grujicic (SRB)
7. Jahja Nurkovic (MNE)
7. Abylaikhan Zhubanazar (KAZ)
Also Competed: Johan Silot (Salem, Mass. / NYAC / Pedro's Judo Center), 1-1; Dominic Rodriguez (Fort Myers, Fla. / NYAC / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center), 1-1
Women’s 63 kg
1. Rafaela Silva (BRA)
2. Laura Fazliu (KOS)
3. Kerem Primo (ISR)
3. Gili Sharir (ISR)
5. Sara-Joy Bauer (GER)
5. Laura Vazquez Fernandez (ESP)
7. Yoana Manova (BUL)
7. Nina Cvjetko (CRO)
Also Competed: Karlee Carrouth (Oklahoma City, Okla. / NYAC / USA Stars), 1-1; Emily Jaspe (Hialeah, Fla. / Ki-itsu-sai National Training Center), 0-1
Men’s 90 kg
1. Tato Grigalashvili (GEO)
2. Luka Javakhishvili (GEO)
3. Maxime-Gael Ngayap Hambou (FRA)
3. Shunta Nakamura (JPN)
5. Aaron Santamaria Rodriguez (ESP)
5. Rafael Macedo (BRA)
7. Vadim Ghimbovschi (MDA)
7. Roy Sivan (ISR)
Also Competed: Alexander Knauf (Yorkville, Ill. / NYAC), 0-1
Women’s 70 kg
1. Michaela Polleres (AUT)
2. April Lynn Fohouo (SUI)
3. Tais Pina (POR)
3. Dena Pohl (GER)
5. Sinem Oruc (TUR)
5. Samira Bock (GER)
7. Kelly Petersen Pollard (GBR)
7. Ingrid Nilsson (SWE)
Also Competed: Melissa Myers (Burnt Hills, N.Y. / Jason Morris Judo Center), 0-1
Men’s 100 kg
1. Anton Savytskiy (UKR)
2. Kou Nakayama (JPN)
3. Jorge Fonseca (POR)
3. Giovani Ferreira (BRA)
5. Robert Florentino (DOM)
5. Zsombor Veg (HUN)
7. Marat Baikamurov (KAZ)
7. Benjamin Mataseje (SVK)
Also Competed: Daniel Liubimovski (Staten Island, N.Y. / NYAC / Colton Brown Training Center), 0-1
Women’s 78 kg
1. Marie Branser (GUI)
2. Lieke Derks (NED)
3. Metka Lobnik (SLO)
3. Yuliia Kurchenko (UKR)
5. Beatriz Freitas (BRA)
5. Coralie Godbout (CAN)
7. Maidelines Gorguet Veranes (ROU)
7. Emma Krapu (FIN)
Men’s +100 kg
1. Ibrahim Tataroglu (TUR)
2. Jur Spijkers (NED)
3. Gai Hatakeyama (JPN)
3. Dzhamal Gamzatkhanov (AZE)
5. Martti Puumalainen (FIN)
5. Irakli Demetrashvili (GEO)
7. Matheo Akiana Mongo (FRA)
7. Yevheniy Balyevskyy (UKR)
Women’s +78 kg
1. Raz Hershko (ISR)
2. Giovanna Santos (BRA)
3. Yuli Alma Mishiner (ISR)
3. Emma-Melis Aktas (EST)
5. Leonie Minkada-Caquineau (FRA)
5. Akerke Ramazanova (KAZ)
7. Tiziana Marini (ITA)
7. Moira Morillo (DOM)
