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The fifth and final day
of the individual competition saw Karina Bryant and Sarah Adlington
(both +78kg) in action alongside James Austin (-100kg).
Karina Bryant needed
only 66 seconds to book a place in the second round as she dominated
Geovanna Blanco from Venezuela who had ended the Briton’s repechage
run in Beijing. Blanco went a yuko down and Bryant followed up
to throw her opponent for ippon and a resounding victory.
©
Mike Varey
Next up for Bryant was
Urszula Sadkowska of Poland. After going a yuko down Bryant raised
the temp and from executing a trip the heavyweight secured a hold-down
for her second straight win by ippon.
Qian Qin of China, the
2010 World silver medallist, stood between Bryant and a place
in the semi-final. Qin took the initiative and drove through to
throw Bryant for a waza-ari and followed up with a hold-down for
ippon.
Karina Bryant told Sportsbeat:
"It was a bit of a gripping battle really [against Ivaschenko]
and she got the upper hand and I decided I had to just go for
it and give it all or nothing.
"But I was really pleased with my first two fights and because
of my neck injury I've only had two competitions recently and
so I don't think I could have asked for any more."
Sarah Adlington took
on 2011 European Championships bronze medallist Lucija Polvader.
Adlington went a yuko up at the half-way mark but as the time
wore on Polvader firmly moved into the ascendancy with two yuko’s
and sealed victory with a hold-down for ippon.
Sarah Adlington said:
"I do have to look for the positives and that is definitely
that I'm getting closer to people of that quality and the gap
is definitely closing.
"I tried to fight my fight and I did have a game plan against
her but she just proved too strong for me in the end."
©
Mike Varey
James Austin faced a
tough confrontation with reigning European champion Amel Mekic
from Bosnia-Herzegovina. Austin pressed his opponent and scored
a waza-ari but Mekic rallied and took the contest by ippon after
first registering a yuko.
© Mike Varey
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