On paper it seemed a contest within Rullier’s reach but Valim ended it swiftly with a spectacular ippon, halting the Frenchwoman’s quest for gold.
In pool C, Yasmine Hariss (MAR) had arrived with hopes of reaching the final block but her Bulgarian journey was cut short in the opening round by American judoka Chrystal Monthe Noussi (USA). Monthe Noussi was then eliminated by Vanessa Karaffova (CZE), who in turn fell to Charlie Thibault (CAN), the Canadian progressing strongly.
Pool D saw Keti Robakidze (GEO) begin brightly, living up to her reputation as one of the dangerous judoka in the category. However, her run ended in the quarter-final against Diana Benkova (POL). That set up a semi-final between Thibault and Benkova, where the Canadian seized the advantage quickly with a waza-ari. She controlled the remainder of the bout intelligently, eventually finishing with an immobilisation, followed by an armlock to book her place in the final.
The gold medal contest was thus set: Clarisse Valim (BRA) vs Charlie Thibault (CAN), a Brazil–Canada clash to decide the title. Within fifteen seconds, Valim struck with a low sode-tsuri-komi-goshi for yuko. A second attempt at the same technique did not score but the Brazilian judoka transitioned seamlessly into an armlock for ippon. There was no debate; Clarisse Valim was unquestionably the strongest judoka of the day. She joins her compatriot and teammate Clarice Ribeiro among the Brazilian gold medallists in Sofia, underlining the depth and strength of Brazil’s cadet team.
The first bronze medal contest featured Kaho Tsuneda (JPN) against Diana Benkova (POL). It began as a left–right battle, with Tsuneda looking to draw her opponent onto her left hip throws. Benkova, however, read the danger perfectly, waiting patiently before executing a sharp action–reaction sequence that sent Tsuneda to the ground, where she was immobilised. It was a well-earned bronze and the fourth medal of these championships for Poland.
The second bronze medal contest paired Keti Robakidze (GEO) against top seed Lucie Rullier (FRA), both seeking redemption after earlier setbacks. However, Rullier was unable to compete, conceding victory to Robakidze and ensuring Georgia also left the category with a place on the podium.
Final (-70 kg)
Bronze Medal Fights (-70 kg)
