-63 kg: Auchecorne Does it Again!

Himanshi Tokas (IND) and Anna Skalska (CZE) faced off for the second bronze medal, Tokas’ presence already making a statement. India has been on the rise in judo for the last few years, marking most prominently by the gold medal won by Linthoi Chanambam at the cadet worlds in Sarajevo two years ago.

Himanshi Tokas was unable to collect the medal, thrown by Anna Skalska with a beautiful uchi-mata, but she will be seen again on the world stage, without a doubt. Czechia has their first medal of the championship and it was won well.

Melkia Auchecorne (FRA) and Savita Russo (ITA) know each other well and so their final could have been a cagey affair but it was no such thing. Their final was dynamic from the off and Russo scored in the first exchange. The Frenchwoman never gave up and equalised a minute later, almost finalising her win with a massive ko-soto-gake attempt in the next exchange. There was not enough of a landing to give the score though and the contest continued.

The work-rate never dropped and they entertained the crowd in the Kasri Arena and online with more highly skilled exchanges. In one, there was a flurry of movement and it appeared Auchcorne believed she had thrown but they rolled directly into a hold for the Italian. The time ticked down and waza-ari-awasete was given but neither athlete or coach looked certain it was stand and on review the score was taken off and Russo was given a shido for grabbing below the belt. She did the same in the next exchange and was duly penalised a second time, making her decision a little more complicated from that point on.

However, as the fight entered the third minute of golden score, Auchecorne looked to be tiring and earned her own second penalty. It was a waza-ari and two penalties apiece. Then Russo attacked with an o-uchi-gari and as she drove into it she lost her balance and Auchecorne took advantange, countering to take the gold medal, her second in as many years.

After the final, Auchecorne said, “I wasn’t thinking, my body just did what it did. I really did all I could today and I’m so proud."