Flying Funakubo crowned Junior world champion
Japanese Funakubo Haruka stepped up to the junior stage with ease as she claimed the U57kg title for Japan. Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games silver medallist Stefania Adelina Dobre (ROU) was beaten by ippon in the penultimate U57kg contest.
In the first semi-final Cadet Asian Championships gold medallist Funakubo bested 2014 Cadet European Championships winner Andreja Leski of Slovenia by holding her down for 20 seconds and ippon with tate-shiho-gatame. In the second semi-final Dobre asserted her authority as she submitted former Cadet World Championships bronze medallist Sarah Harachi of France with kansetsu-waza.
The first bronze medal was captured by losing semi-finalist Harachi who returned to winning ways against Junior Asian Championships silver medallist Aigerim Abilkadirova (KAZ) as the latter was penalised twice while the French fighter did not infringe during the four minute contest. The second bronze medal was won by Leski who profited from a mistake by German Championships bronze medallist Theresa Stoll of Germany who received hansoku-make for a waki-gatame.
Result | City | Date |
---|---|---|
2 | Paris | 30 Jul |
1 | Abu Dhabi | 21 May |
1 | Zagreb | 26 Apr |
3 | Belgrade | 2023 |
2 | Montpellier | 2023 |