Japan's Tatsuru Saito, back, wrestles against Temur Rakhimov of Tajikistan in the men's over-100-kg class final at a Grand Slam judo meet in Baku on Nov. 7, 2021. (Photo courtesy of Internaitonal Judo Federation/Kyodo)

       TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Nineteen-year-old Tatsuru Saito won the men's over-100-kilogram class on his Grand Slam debut in Baku on Sunday, winning all four of his bouts by ippon.

       The second son of the late two-time, 95-kg Olympic gold medalist Hitoshi Saito beat 2018 world championship runner-up Ushangi Kokauri of Azerbaijan with an uchimata in the quarterfinals before downing Temur Rakhimov of Tajikistan in the final.

       Saito stands 190 centimeters and weighs 164 kg but is equipped with agility and flexibility, and new head coach Keiji Suzuki has great hope for the youngster after Japan missed out on a gold medal in the men's heaviest category for the third straight Olympics over the summer in Tokyo.

       Kosuke Mashiyama also triumphed in the men's 90-kg division as he prevailed against Mammadali Mehdiyev of Azerbaijan in the final.

       Kentaro Iida was third in the 100-kg class and Goki Tajima fifth in the 90-kg. No Japan judoka from the Tokyo Olympics featured at the meet.

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