www.judoinside.com 19/06
Shiyan Xu puts China on top
China has a strong tradition at +78kg and for a long time. In Astana, it was Shiyan Xu who demonstrated this by qualifying for the final of the Grand Slam, after a clear victory by two waza-ari in the first round against Elis Startseva (AIN), the first with ko-soto-gari, the second via osaekomi-waza. In the next round, she unflinchingly blocked a kneeling attack from Karen Stevenson (NED) and countered it for ippon. In the semi-finals, it remained for Shiyan Xu to settle the fate of her compatriot Xin Xu, to join former Junior World Championn Marit Kamps, which she did by performing a thunderous makikomi for ippon.