Japan prolongs Mixed team world title

In a few weeks, in Tokyo, for the first time in the history of judo and the Olympic Games, judo will have a mixed team tournament. Japan was not a surprise with the gold medal, they are by far the favourite for the mixed team title in Tokyo. The finalist was France, which is also not a surprise.

Japan were favourites at the team World Championships in Budapest and they did not disappoint, by winning against Ukraine and then in front of the delegation representing the Russian Judo Federation. The France-Japan final is a classic of team tournaments and there is no doubt that during the Tokyo Games, the two teams already imagine themselves in the final. Much can still happen by then.

It took almost 2 minutes of golden score for Soichi Hashimoto to score the first point for team Japan after an heroic resistance from Joan-Benjamin Gaba, who finished totally exhausted with three penalties to his name, but who really tried as hard as possible to find an opportunity against the wall Hashimoto built. 1-0. Despite the fact that Marie-Eve Gahie seemed to dominate at the beginning of the match and that Saki Niizoe was penalised twice, during the golden score period, the Japanese athlete scored with a stylish uchi-mata for ippon giving a second point to team Japan, as the French 2019 world champion left the mat with what seemed to be a slight rib injury, which could explain that she was not at her full capacity. 2-0. With Kenta Nagasawa's victory against Francis Damier by waza-ari, Japan scored their third point. Maya Akiba scored the last point for Japan against Lea Fontaine. The new mixed team world champions are Japan.

Soichi Hashimoto said, "Our coaches are true leaders. They made us better and motivated us. We are stronger because we feel united."

Final JAPAN (JPN) vs. FRANCE (FRA)

-73kg: Soichi HASHIMOTO 1 / Joan-Benjamin GABA 0

-70kg: Saki NIIZOE 1 / Marie Eve GAHIE 0

-90kg: Kenta NAGASAWA 1 / Francis DAMIER 0

+70kg: Maya AKIBA 1 / Lea FONTAINE 0

+90kg: Kokoro KAGEURA / Cedric OLIVAR

-57kg: Haruka FUNAKUBO / Gaetane DEBERDT

Uzbekistan claims world bronze

The first bronze medal match between Ukraine and Korea was won by Obidkhon Nomonov with a waza-ari after dominating the whole contest. 0-1. With a massive ippon from a koshi-waza technique, Gulnoza Matniyazova added a second point for her team. 0-2. Team Uzbekistan continued to harvest points with the victory of Shermukhammad Jandreev’s seoi-nage technique for waza-ari. 0-3. After a very brave contest against Hayun Kim, Iriskhon Kurbanbaeva was pinned down for ippon, giving a first point to Korea. 1-3. With the fourth point scored by Muzaffarbek Turoboyev, Uzbekistan won the bronze medal and could let their joy explode. The young team, led by Ilias Iliadis, put genuine smiles on their faces and celebrated their victory in a traditional farandole manner.

Brazil defeats Russian Judo Federation

With an ippon chalked up in golden score with an armlock, Denis Iartcev won the first point for the RJF team, to take the lead. 0-1. After a second golden score, this time the point went to Brazil after Maria Portela scored waza-ari with a classic o-goshi. 1-1. RJF took the lead again after Khusen Khalmurzaev won by penalties against Rafael Macedo. 1-2. The teams equalled the score again with the clear ippon victory of Beatriz Souza. 2-2. For the first time, Brazil took the lead with the point scored by David Moura against Alen Tskhovrebov. 3-2. With Ketelyn Nascimento upsetting Anastasiia Konkina in the last match, Brazil took the last point to win a deserved bronze medal. Before team Brazil left the tatami, David Moura, who has been one the pillars of the team for many years, made a discrete sign to signify that it might be one of his last appearances on the world circuit.