Golden Score blast: Huang seals Dushanbe -100 kg with O-uchi-gari

The -100 kg division at the Dushanbe Grand Slam turned into a wide-open story. In a class the hosts had hoped to own, the bracket was shaken early when Britain’s Max Gregory dumped top seed Dzhakhongir Madzhidov (TJK) out of the tournament, only for Gregory to be stopped later in repechage. From that point on, the sense was clear: nobody was safe.

The final paired Adam Sangariev (RUS) against Fuchun Huang, and it played out like a chess match with real bite. Across four minutes, both men attacked and defended with discipline, keeping the scores tight and the margins tiny. It was tense, controlled, and balanced—exactly the kind of final that feels destined for overtime.

One clean action in Golden Score decided everything.

As soon as Golden Score began, Huang found the opening and struck with a powerful O-uchi-gari, driving Sangariev flat for Ippon. The win carries extra weight: it is China’s first men’s Grand Slam gold since 2017, when Xunzhao Cheng triumphed at the Paris Grand Slam. For Huang personally, it’s a step up that shows progress—after taking bronze in Dushanbe a year ago, he returns in 2026 to upgrade to gold and secure his second Grand Slam medal.

Europe also had moments to celebrate on the podium. Ukraine’s Oleksii Yershov took bronze in a contest that lasted under 20 seconds. Serbia’s Lazar Zdrale went straight into a big Ko-soto-gake attempt, but Yershov reacted instantly, fought for balance control, and was awarded the Ippon as Zdrale toppled—Yershov’s first Grand Slam medal at 24.

Moldova’s Vadim Ghimbovschi added another European highlight, winning bronze and earning his own first Grand Slam medal. He finished his bout with a clean Ippon, delivering the third medal for his team at this tournament.

Two first-time European Grand Slam medalists made the final standings even richer.

Source: JudoInside