In the IBSA format, men and women compete separately, accounting for the need to include athletes from both the J1 and J2 categories, a different way to view ‘mixed teams.’ In the women’s event, there was a round robin competition but in the men’s event, a knockout system was used and 6 teams entered the draw.
There was a particularly enthralling match for bronze between the men’s teams of Mongolia and India, in which India appeared to be the underdog. However, from 3-1 down, Dharm Veer Verma, India’s J2M +81 kg athlete put in a spirited performance to win in ne-waza having been chasing a waza-ari for most of the contest.
The cheers went up from his team as Kapil Parmar then levelled things, forcing a nail-biting draw for the deciding golden score contest, which also fell Parmar’s way. India won 4-3 and headed to the podium jubilantly.
The final of the men’s event was a very close-run match, on a fight-by-fight basis, the final scoreline not doing justice to the silver medallists, Uzbekistan. Kazakhstan’s team did reach its goal, though, collecting gold in both the men’s and women’s events. Hearing the Kazakh national anthem closing the whole event ws apt, a special moment for the hosts who have worked so hard to present a world-class continental championship.
Full Results:
Women
GOLD - Kazakhstan
SILVER - Uzbekistan
BRONZE - Thailand
Men
GOLD - Kazakhstan
SILVER - Uzbekistan
BRONZE - Iran
BRONZE - India
