Ethan Nairne’s golden breakthrough rocks the Linz Grand Prix

The men’s U73kg division in Linz turned into the stage for a massive British breakthrough. Ethan Nairne produced the best judo of his career and captured Grand Prix gold, becoming only the third British man ever to win a World Judo Tour Grand Prix since 2009. From the opening round to the final exchange, he showed remarkable work rate, cool decision-making and sharp timing.

On his way to the final, Nairne cut through a line-up packed with stars. He defeated three Olympic medallists in a single day: Victor Sterpu Osmanov of Moldova, Italy’s Fabio Basile and Brazilian ace Daniel Cargnin. Each of them looked surprised by his constant pressure, explosive entries and refusal to slow down for even a moment.

A new British name forces the U73kg elite to take notice.

In the final, Nairne faced Turkish fighter Bilal Ciloglu, a former Grand Prix winner and world bronze medallist known for his high-level skills. This time Ciloglu came in fully locked-in, shutting down Nairne’s favourite gripping patterns and making the contest a tactical battle. Still, the Brit stuck to his game plan: attack, reset, and attack again.

With no score after regular time, the contest moved into golden score. As the minutes passed, Ciloglu visibly started to fade, while Nairne kept the pace high. Two minutes into the extra time, Nairne launched a committed o-soto, catching the Turk cleanly and earning yuko. That single moment sealed an emotional gold and announced Nairne as a new European force in one of judo’s toughest weight categories.

Elsewhere in the category, Fabio Basile narrowly missed the podium after losing his bronze medal bout in golden score, rounding off a dramatic day for Europe’s U73kg contenders.

Source: JudoInside