Ben Fletcher wins first-ever Judo Grand Prix medal in Mongolia
Team Bath Judo Club’s Ben Fletcher said he “couldn’t be happier” after winning his first-ever Grand Prix medal in Mongolia.
Fletcher, coached by Juergen Klinger at the Sports Training Village, also secured 120 Olympic qualification points to boost his hopes of reaching Rio 2016.
“My first-ever Grand Prix medal – a really good day and performance,” he tweeted. “Couldn’t be happier.”
And there was a gold medal for University of Bath graduate Gemma Gibbons who was on top form as she defeated all of her opponents by ippon in the -78kg category.
Fletcher got off to a confident start at the Buyant Ukhaa Sport Complex, beating home judoka Aruin-Erdene Batbayar before overcoming Kai Hu of China to top Pool B in the -100kg category.
That set up a tight semi-final against Martin Pacek, which the Swedish fighter edged late on by scoring waza-ari.
Fletcher shrugged off his disappointment to dominate the bronze-medal match against Mongolia’s Janchivdorj Bunddorj, who was pressured into receiving two penalties before victory was secured with ippon.
