The first bronze medal contest was fought by 2024 Panamerican champion Miguel Augusto (BRA) and 2024 Panamerican bronze medallist Jonathan Charon (CUB) and for the latter this would be his first World Judo Tour medal. These judoka know each other well, crossing paths many times within their continent over the years. In Linz, just like at their continental championships, it was August who came out ahead. He threw for a yuko in the early stages of golden score, using a well timed and well placed ko-uchi-gari. At 20 and 21 years old respectively, they can still have a long career ahead of them, but today it is Brazil’s Michel Augusto who leaves with a medal, his second at grand prix level.
World cadet champion Jonathan Yang (USA) stepped up to fight his first World Judo Tour medal contest, facing Barroso Lopez of Spain. A combination of uchi-mata to ko-uchi-gari and finally throwing with an inescapable o-soto-gari, gave the 22-year-old Spanish judoka his first World Judo Tour medal, stepping up t seniors well after winning a medal at the 2024 European u23 Championships. Yang had a great day but it finished with a 5th place, perhaps not what he hoped for but it is certainly progress and there will be much more to come from him.
Current junior world champion at -60 kg, Yamato Fukuda had to face compatriot Yusei Adachi, his only result so far, a gold at a junior European cup last year. Adachi came close to sealing the victory early with a nifty turnover but he only managed to hold the osae-komi for 3 seconds, denying himself a score and a lead.
It turns out that this was a massive missed opportunity as he went on to give away penalties and Fukuda won the gold medal, his second medal on the WJT.
Final (-60 kg)
Bronze Medal Fights (-60 kg)
