Israeli judoka Gili Sharir won the under-63 kg gold medal at the Paris Grand Slam judo tournament on Saturday, after dominating Japanese judoka Nami Nabekura in the final.

The 23-year-old athlete had previously beaten Polish, Canadian, French, and South Korean opponents.

“I am really happy to have been able to win my first Grand Slam gold medal after a very long and difficult day. A big thank you to my amazing family and good luck to all the competitors tomorrow,” said the champion after her victory.

Another Israeli competitor, Gefen Primo, won bronze in the under-52 kg category after beating Brazil’s Larissa Pimenta. She had defeated Portuguese and Mongolian opponents in the previous rounds before losing to France’s Amandine Buchard in the semi-finals.

"I'm happy to start the season with a medal. I feel like I'm improving and I want to thank my coaches and the professional team for that. A big thank you also to my sponsors who support me," she said after receiving her medal.

Shani Hershko, coach of the Israeli women's judo team, praised the athletes for their hard work. 

"A very successful day of competition for the women's team, which ends with two prestigious medals. I am very proud of the team and the athletes for their commitment and hard work," said Hershko. 

Source: Twitter/YNet - Photo:  International Judo Federation/Twitter