Wakaba Tomita secures heavyweight domination by Japan

The last day of the individual World Judo Championships in Abu Dhabi saw Japan's Wakaba Tomita clinch the heavyweight world title, continuing Japan's dominance in the women's heavyweight category. Since 2018, only Romane Dicko from France has interrupted Japan's reign as the non-Japanese world champion in 2022. All other titles have been claimed by Japanese athletes.

Wakaba Tomita, the All Japan champion for the past two years, added the world title to her impressive list of achievements. She previously won bronze at the 2022 World Championships in Tashkent and silver in 2021 in Budapest, where she was defeated by Sarah Asahina. This time, however, Tomita learned from her past experiences and emerged victorious against Kayra Ozdemir from Turkiye in the final.

The final bout was brief but intense, showcasing Tomita's superior skills. She executed a perfect ashi-guruma and secured her victory with a ten-second hold, becoming the world champion for the first time at the senior level. Tomita had previously won a junior gold in 2015, and this victory marked a significant milestone in her career.

Bronze Medal Matches

The first bronze medal match saw Hayun Kim of Korea face off against Asya Tavano from Italy. Both judokas came out aggressively, looking for big attacks. Kim emerged victorious, executing an uchi-mata to makikomi combination, securing her first world medal at the senior level.

The second bronze medal contest was between Shiyan Xu of China and Hilal Ozturk of Turkiye. Ozturk claimed her first world medal by throwing Xu for a waza-ari and withstanding immense pressure from the Chinese athlete. This emotional victory for Ozturk ensured that both Turkish flags would fly over the podium in Abu Dhabi. Despite this achievement, it may not guarantee her a spot in the Olympic team, but it remains an honorable accomplishment.

Intense Competition and Olympic Implications

The competition in the heavyweight category was fierce, with participants from Turkiye, Japan, Netherlands, China, Korea, Croatia, and India. The two Chinese athletes, Su and Xu, remain close in the rankings, with Su leading by 500 points. Ozdemir leads Ozturk by 300 points for the Turkish team, making their rivalry even closer than the Chinese duo. In the Netherlands, 400 points separate Marit Kamps and Karen Stevenson, both of whom are still in direct qualification positions, making their performance in Abu Dhabi crucial.

Su's journey in the tournament was cut short when she was defeated by Ozturk in the third round, pushing Ozturk into the top eight. French competitor Fontaine also progressed through pool A but was eventually beaten by Ozturk.

Xu and Ozdemir met in the quarter-finals, with Ozdemir progressing to the semi-finals. Mao Arai of Japan, a promising prospect, was one of the casualties of the competition. Ozdemir showcased her best judo, moving fluidly and attacking decisively, demonstrating her determination to make an impact.

In pool B, Hayun Kim of Korea advanced through the rounds until she faced Tomita, who halted her progress with a waza-ari and three penalties, sending Kim into the repechage. Tomita also eliminated Amarsaikhan from Mongolia, Nunes from Portugal, and Maan from India early in the competition. Maan's performance, reaching round three, could influence the continental quota places in Asia.

While Tomita controlled the bottom half of pool B, Kim's victory over Kamps gave Stevenson a chance to climb the ranking list. Karen Stevenson of the Netherlands had an outstanding morning session, demonstrating her all-in approach. Brazilian judoka Souza topped pool D but was disqualified after a controversial throw against Stevenson.

Stevenson, however, faced challenges in the subsequent rounds. She was thrown and held by Italy's rising star, Asya Tavano, who displayed strength and technical prowess on the tatami. Despite Stevenson's efforts, she lost to Xu in the repechage, meaning there was only a one-round difference in points between her and Kamps, insufficient for Stevenson to surpass Kamps in the rankings.

Turkish Team effort

Both Turkish judokas reaching the semi-finals posed a selection dilemma for Team Turkiye. Ultimately, they found their resolution. Ozturk was thrown with uchi-mata by Tomita, while Ozdemir secured a spot in her first world final at the age of 36 by executing a dynamic harai-makikomi against Tavano. Ozdemir, with two bronze medals from 2018 and 2019, stepped up to claim the silver medal this time.

The World Judo Championships in Abu Dhabi concluded with an impressive display of japan. Wakaba Tomita's victory continued Japan's legacy in the women's heavyweight category, while the competition highlighted the intense rivalries and challenges faced by athletes on their journey to the Paris Olympics. We are one step further the ultimate goal of Olympic glory in July.