Lightweight specialists Japan start with gold from Todokoro

IJF debutant Todokoro Chihiro (JPN) was crowned the U44kg Junior World Championships gold medallist with victory over Junior African Championships gold medallist Oumaima Bedioui (TUN).

Former Cadet World Championships bronze medallist Bedioui, 20, who was fighting in her last Junior Worlds, lost out to All Japan Junior Championships silver medallist Todokoro by osaekomi having trailed to a waza-ari from a ko-uchi-gari.

In the first semi-final Junior European Championships winner Lois Petit (BEL) lost out to Todokoro after being penalised for the third and final time with 48 seconds left on the clock. In the second semi-final La Coruna Junior European Cup gold medallist Melanie Frigoul (FRA) was submitted after three minutes of golden score by Bedioui. Frigoul failed with an o-soto-gari attack and left herself exposed on the ground and her Tunisian rival was quick to take advantage to secure a place in the final.

The first bronze medal was won by Junior Pan American Championships bronze medallist Amanda Arraes (BRA) who defeated Frigoul by a waza-ari score. Brazil were the first country to medal in the Bahamas as the meeting between the two was the opening contest in the final block.     

The second bronze medal was claimed by number one seed Petit who avoided back-to-back losses with a gutsy display. Junior European Championships bronze medallist Shafag Hamidova (AZE) was penalised after three minutes of golden score with her third and final shido for a false attack as Belgium earned their first medal in the Bahamas in a scoreless contest.