In Renat Croitoru’s first -73 kg contest, he performed a massive pick-up against Harbachou (IJF), demanding ippon and getting it!
Chloe Link of Great Britain shocked Oraznyyazova (TKM) in their first round contest at -57 kg, throwing her off the first grip. It was lightning fast and exactly what the crowd at the Kasri Tennis Arena want to see.
How about the powerful seoi-otoshi from Artak Torosyan (ARM), also in the first round of the -73 kg category?
It has been a feast for the eyes for the spectators and for everyone watching on JudoTV. There has been no let-up in pace all morning, throw after throw.
Some contests were exciting and fascinating even if going into golden score, such as the round of 64 contest between Shirakane (JPN) and Olympian Binta Ndiaye (SUI). It took Shirakane almost 5 and a half minutes to defeat her, eventually holding her down. Every minute of it drew our gaze and such is the level in Dushanbe that the Olympian is out!
Looking at each weight category in turn, the continuation of Japanese excellence remains at the forefront of proceedings. Only one member of the day 2 Japanese team didn’t make it to the quarter-final stages. Also, several of the top seeds made it there, showing, despite the unseeded machine of Japan, that ranking is important and is an indicator of level.
In the -57 kg category, world number one Bianca Reis (BRA) had an exceptional morning, winning against Shirakane (JPN) in round two and Santiago Santana (ESP) in round three but in the quarter-final she came unstuck against Tao (CHN), teammate of day one’s -48 kg champion.
In pool A, two Olympians failed to make it through: Pardayeva (TKM) and Ndiaye (SUI). This is quite a statistic but they weren’t the only ones left disappointed. Former cadet world number one Terranova (ITA), was knocked out of pool B by Siennicka (POL) who went on to stun 4th seed Alizada (AZE) in their quarter-final.
In the second half of the draw, Comanche (BRA) held her ground as number two seed. With her teammate dominating in the early rounds of the top half, she had some pressure to keep up. At no point did she look out of sorts, winning with determination and heart against highly decorated athletes, including Saez Hevia (ESP). Last year’s junior world silver medallist Honda (JPN) awaited her in the semi-final.
In the -73 kg category, 2023 junior world champion and 2024 junior European champion Vidal Galadarzade came a cropper against Yusuke Takeichi (JPN) and so the number one was out before lunch. Takeichi went all the way through to the semi-final to face local favourite Muhiddin Asadulloev (TJK). What a semi-final that was!
Asadullaev had already beaten Parlati in the quarter-final and it was Parlati who put the number 4 seed, Zelman (CIV) out. The Tajik was in a roll. Against Takeichi he was just as explosive as he had been all day but the Japanese edged it, marginally, on penalties, disappointedly for the crowd. He will be in the final block though, fighting for bronze.
Uzbek Mardin Ravshanov was the winner of pool C, beating 2nd seed Almat (KAZ) along the way. He also beat Croitoru, author of massive throws from the first ‘hajime’ of the day, in the quarter-final. The top seed of pool D was also eliminated, by Keito Kihara (JPN), back at world championship level with the aim of reaching the podium after placing 5th in Odivelas last year. Kihara went all the way to the final to meet his teammate but no matter what happens he has, at least in part, met his goal; he will leave with gold or silver no matter what.
At -63 kg, a star-studded cast stepped on to the tatami. Melkia Auchecorne, junior world champion last year with a bronze from 2022 too, was like a steam train on her way along a straight track to the final.
She met the very experienced senior European medallist and Olympian Savita Russo (ITA). The two last met in the final of the 2023 European Championships Juniors, which fell in favour of the Italian. How it would end in Dushanbe could be anyone’s guess.
Elsewhere in the category, a special note must be made of Himanshi Tokas (IND). She was drawn against the number 2 seed who did not compete in the end. She then beat Nele Noack (GER), an EYOF medallist and double gold medallist on the junior European tour. Next for her was Russo and we already know the outcome of that but in the repechage she beat Tretnjak (AUT) by waza-ari, a result which shocked both the Austrian and Indian teams. Tokas would appear in the final block, a first for an Indian woman at this level.
The final block begins at 4pm local time and can be followed live on JudoTV.com.