Funa Tonaki successor of Ami Kondo U48kg

Japanese Tonaki Funa is the new World Champion U48kg. In Abu Dhabi the tiny fighter defeated Slovenian Marusa Stangar in just one minute. She follows up Ami Kondo as new World Champion.

Japanese talent Tonaki Funa concluded her junior career by winning the biggest prize on offer to judoka aged 20 and under. The Budapest Grand Prix silver medallist will now focus on making the transition to a full-time senior career after beating Cadet world champion Marusa Stangar of Slovenia for U48kg gold. Stangar was unable to secure her country’s first Junior world title as she was trapped on the ground by her opponent in osaekomi for 20 seconds and ippon.    

In the first semi-final former cadet world champion Tsunemi Mikoto lost to the current cadet world champion Stangar. The 17-year-old Japanese judoka fell from the gold medal hunt as she lost by ippon after two minutes. In the second semi-final Tonaki, 20, who took bronze at the FISU Universiade in July, beat Junior European Championships bronze medallist Sephora Corcher (FRA) by pinning her for ippon.

The first bronze medal was won Corcher who saw off St Petersburg Junior European Cup silver medallist Miriam Schneider of Germany by a waza-ari from a cutting ashi-waza effort. The second bronze medal was won by Tsunemi against Junior European Championships bronze medallist Cristina Budescu (MDA) as the latter was penalised twice in a scoreless contest.