Rajabli wins Tashkent under-81kg gold

Omar Rajabli won the men’s under-81kg title at the Tashkent Grand Slam by defeating Abdul-Kerim Tasuev in the final. The Azerbaijani transitioned into groundwork, freed his trapped leg and secured a hold-down for ippon after approximately ninety seconds.

Both finalists progressed through a field containing established contenders. Tasuev had beaten top seed Francois Gauthier-Drapeau and then Aurelien Bonferroni, while Rajabli built momentum despite not being among the leading favourites when the draw was made for the competition.

Murodjon Yuldoshev won one bronze medal in an all-Uzbek match against Arslonbek Tojiev, guaranteeing the host nation a podium place. Japan’s Sotaro Fujiwara earned the second bronze against Bonferroni. The result added another gold to Azerbaijan’s Tashkent campaign on the second day.