Japanese juniors take first mixed team world title

Japan defeated the Netherlands in convincing fashion to be crowned the first Junior World Championships Mixed Team champions. In Zagreb the Japanese juniors were simply too strong. The bronze medals went to Germany and Russia. Japan overpowered the field of 16 teams to win the junior team title with a merciless display as they made sure that the Japanese anthem would be the only one played on the last day of the event.

Junior women -48kg: Japan 1 – 0 Netherlands

Umekita Mai (JPN) gave her country the lead by holding down Junior world champion Amber Gersjes (NED) and there was a sense that Japan would not let up and remain in control for the remainder of the match.

Junior men -60kg: Japan 2 – 0 Netherlands

Junior world bronze medallist Koga Genki (JPN) doubled Japan’s lead by defeating Tim Banen (NED) by a waza-ari score.

Junior women -57kg: Japan 3 – 0 Netherlands

Junior world champion Funakubo Haruka (JPN) beat Jorien Visser (NED) for the second time this week to edge her team towards gold. The Japanese had won their third round meeting in the individual competition by ippon and won again by the maximum score with a tate-shiho-gatame provind a third victory for the rampant favourites.

Junior men -73kg: Japan 4 – 0 Netherlands

Ishigooka Hideyuki (JPN) was next up and he maintained the whitewash by besting Daan Ten Heuvel (NED) who was drafted in purely for the team event. Ishigooka held down the Dutchman for 20 seconds to put his country on the brink of winning gold.

Junior women -70kg: Japan 4 – 1 Netherlands

Junior world champion at -63kg, Araki Honoka (JPN), stepped up to the -70kg category to face Junior world silver medallist Sanne Vermeer (NED) and the latter salvaged a win for the Netherlands to keep the match alive. VERMEER countered a tame attack for ippon with 36 seconds left to put her team on the board and to give her colleagues a morsel of hope.

Junior men -90kg: Japan 5  – 1 Netherlands

Junior world champion Tajima Goki (JPN) wrapped up the rout by defeating -81kg judoka Jesper Smink (NED) by a waza-ari score.

In the first semi-final Russia, who defeated Mongolia 5-1 in their quarter-final, faced Japan who had won every contest so far. Japan were dominant as they powered past Russia 5-1 to close in on the mixed world team title. In the second semi-final the Netherlands, who beat Uzbekistan 5-3, faced Germany who had defeated France by the same score.

The first team bronze medals were won by Germany who defeated Kazakhstan 5-3 after an enthralling match.

The second set of team bronze medals were won by Russia who beat Uzbekistan on points after each country won four contests. Russia finished with a vastly superior total of 40 points against 21 from their Asian opponents.

Final Results

1. Japan

2. Netherlands

3. Germany

3. Russia

5. Kazakhstan

5. Uzbekistan

7. Mongolia

7. France