Colin Oates wins silver medal at judo's Moscow Grand Slam

Judo silver medallist Colin Oates

Colin Oates won silver at judo's Moscow Grand Slam, while Sarah Adlington and London 2012 silver medallist Gemma Gibbons picked up bronze.

Norfolk-based Oates, 30, only returned to action in the under-66kg category last month after a shoulder injury.

Oates, who lost the final to Brazil's Charles Chibana, said: "It is nice to take a Grand Slam medal. It's something I have worked on for my whole career."

Gibbons said: "Considering I've been out for months, bronze is good.

"I'm glad I pushed to come back for this competition so I can now go into the World Championships with some fights under my belt."

The Moscow event, at the Krylatskoe Sport Palace, is one of the premier ranking competitions on the International Judo Federation world tour.

Oates began Saturday's contest with an impressive victory by ippon against Miami Grand Prix gold medallist Abdula Abdulzhalilov, of Russia.

He then beat Ulugbek Norkobilov of Uzbekistan by waza-ari, before defeating Tajikistan's Rasul Abdusharipov by ippon to win Pool B.

Oates, who was within one fight of a bronze medal at last summer's London Olympics, reached the final with a yuko victory in golden score against Nijat Shikhalizada of Azerbaijan.

But Chibana proved too strong, just as he had in last month's Pan-American Open final in El Salvador, scoring two waza-ari throws.

Great Britain men's coach Chris Bowles said: "It was a stunning display of tactical and ippon scoring judo by Colin. It is a fantastic result that he got silver. He was in top form but the Brazilian guy was on fire.

"To get to the final of a Grand Slam is a fantastic achievement. He is a great ambassador for all young judoka."

Gibbons was defeated in the quarter-finals of Sunday's women's under-78kg event, but came through the repechage to beat the Netherlands' Iris Lemmen by two yukos for bronze.

Adlington scored three ippons on her way to bronze, beating Germany's Franziska Konitz to secure the medal.