Montreal, September 18, 2011 – Quebec judoka Kalem Kachur earned himself one of two bronze medals up for grabs in the Under 81 kg category, Sunday at the Tashkent World Cup, in Uzbekistan.

“I’m really happy, I think I performed well today,” indicated Kachur after his day was over.

After the forfeit of Russia’s Erekle Kopaliani in his first match, Kachur won by Ippon against Iran’s Ali Karimian, then took Uzbek judoka Yakhyo Imanov with a Waza-ari. “I was able to dominate Karimian from the start of the bout. I was attacking more and he was earning penalties; I finally managed to get him to the ground,” the Quebec native commented. “When I met the Uzbek judoka, that was more difficult, I started off with a penalty. It was a close match, I did a lot of attacking, but my competitors were better. With about eight seconds left to go, we had one more exchange and I was able to get him to the ground too,” concluded Kachur.

American Travis Stevens – currently ranked fifth in the world in the Under 81 kg category – slowed down the Quebec native’s progression winning the semi-final match with Kachur by Ippon; Kachur is ranked 48^th in the world.

“Within the first 45 seconds I was able to dominate him, and earned a penalty because he did practically nothing, but after that it was more even. With about two minutes to go he got a good hold of my arm. I tried to get out of it but I couldn’t so I fell. I fell in a Yuko, but he still had hold of my arm, my hand was behind my back, and he was able to make an arm lock no problem,” explained Kachur, who previously had never battled Stevens, the PanAmerican Silver medallist.

In the dual for one of two bronze medals, Kachur used what had felled him in the previous match against Uzbek judoka Farmon Kabulov (ranked 58^th in the world). “Kabulov made me fall after about one minute, but afterwards I was able to immobilize him on the ground, and at the same time lock his arm without a problem. He wasn’t really happy about it, I guess he thought it would be easier to beat me, but nope!” noted Kachur with a smile.

Other Quebec athletes were in action on the tatami at the Tashkent Judo World Cup; Marylise Lévesque and Emin Sheykhislyamov were not able to finish their matches with a final ranking.

In the Under 78 kg category, 23^rd world-ranked Lévesque was taken by surprise by the Ukraine’s Ivanna Makura (ranked 73^rd in the world) when the latter won by Ippon.

Sheykhislyamov, competing in the Under 90 kg category, was unable to enter into the match tables when she faced Switzerland’s Dominique Hischier (ranked 44^th in the world) who twice scored Yuko.

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Written by Sportcom for Judo Canada