We saw the surprising, but eventually not so surprising win of Lasha SHAVDATUASHVILI (GEO), who is one of the most decorated judo players on the planet.
We saw a favourite Japanese athlete lose, while the underdogs made sparks. We watched with great emotion as the matches of Miklos UNGVARI linked together, much to the delight of the public. Even if the Hungarian forty year old world and Olympic medallist did not reach the podium, he leaves a good mark on this world championship and in world judo. The public was not mistaken and reserved an exit for him under a standing ovation full of emotion.
In summary, we took great pleasure in following the adventures of our judoka today. We appreciate that everything is not written in advance; far from it! We are looking forward to the 4th day of competition with the women -63kg and the men -81kg, beginning with the eliminatory phases at 10:00 local time.
-57kg: KLIMKAIT Wins More Than a Title The first final of the day was maybe not exactly the one expected, even if both competitors were among the top favourites of the category. TAMAOKI was penalised rapidly with a first shido, while Jessica KLIMKAIT began each exchange, after the hajime, with a dynamic circlular dance around her opponent, before diving on her and in search of the seoi-nage or the o-uchi-gari. What is impressive, is that everyone knows it, but still she does it again and again and it works. While TAMAOKI Momo was penalised a second time, KLIMKAIT received her first shido and both athletes reached golden score were everything remaining possible. After 1 minute, Jessika KLIMKAIT, who was obviously dominating, concluded with a ko-uchi-gari that seemed to come from the other side of the tatami, but she managed to score a liberating waza-ari. With this first world title, Jessika KLIMKAIT might have won more than just a title.
Bronze medallist in Kazan a few weeks ago, Marica PERISIC (SRB) was again competing for bronze, against Nora GJAKOVA (KOS), bronze medallist at the last European Championships in Lisbon. GJAKOVA imposed her power to control the kumi-kata quickly and build her judo, made of small ashi-waza to open the gate to an ample uchi-mata. After just half of the match GJAKOVA hadn't scored but PERISIC had already been penalised twice. It was with only a few seconds remaining and with a massive maki-komi on the edge of the tatami, that she had prepared throughout the bout, that GJAKOVA took the lead by a waza-ari, to win her first bronze medal at that level.
Ranked 12th in the world, the 25 year-old athlete from Germany, Theresa STOLL, holder of two bronze medals on the World Judo Tour since the circuit resumed last October in Budapest, faced world number one Christa DEGUCHI (CAN) for a second spot on the podium. The first in action was DEGUCHI, with a risky o-uchi-gari, that STOLL blocked and even tried to counter, but no-one scored. At least during the beginning of the match this was DEGUCHI's plan as she tried several times to go under the strong kumi-kata of STOLL with her right o-uchi-gari. Dominated by STOLL, the Canadian champion was penalised with a first shido, showing a different version of herself, less dominant and more in danger than we are used to. She was then penalised a second time, entering the golden score period with two penalties to her name. It only took 8 seconds for STOLL to score a massive maki-komi that crucified DEGUCHI, who seemed to be somewhere else and that somewhere else, unfortunately, might not be Tokyo this summer. There was a bronze medal for Theresa STOLL. This is the difficulty of judo. Everything can stop and change within a second, with the wrong loss at the wrong moment. It is tough but it also participates in the beauty of the sport, where everything hangs by a thread. All athletes know it. All athletes work to hold on to and maximise all their chances and at the end, it is the result on the tatami that decides. Today it was not DEGUSHI's day but she remains an amazing champion and judoka.
When the competition began, all eyes were on the -57kg weight division as everyone wanted to see the decisive match between Jessica KLIMKAIT (CAN) and the current world champion Christa DEGUCHI (CAN), for the final Olympic selection of the Canadian athlete. However, this match didn't take place since KLIMKAIT reached the final after an impeccable morning session, while DEGUCHI was defeated, after a long golden score contest, by TAMAOKI Momo (JPN) in the semi-final. The decision of which athlete will go to the Games is now in the hands of the Canadian Judo Federation.
It must be said that Jessica KLIMKAIT had a brilliant start to the competition. If sometimes the young Canadian walks on the edge of false attacks, she is still very effective and her seoi-nage can score ippon at any time. In the first round she defeated Miryam ROPER (PAN), then Arnaes ODELIN GARCIA (CUB) and Theresa STOLL (GER) before giving no chances to Nora GJAKOVA (KOS) in the semi-final. With this brilliant demonstration she has a really good chance to be the Canadian representative at the Olympic Games. What is a certainty is that this is probably one of the toughest decision for Mike Tamura, the President of Judo Canada, Nicolas Gill and his technical team.
TAMAOKI Momo, after consistent wins against Zouleiha Abzetta DABONNE (CIV), Eteri LIPARTELIANI (GEO) and Telma MONTEIRO (POR) during the early rounds, was matched against the current world champion and world number one in the semi-final. The stakes were high for both competitors, but maybe a little more for DEGUCHI, who desperately needed that victory to meet her teammate in the final, but it was TAMAOKI who, after 9 minutes and 15 seconds of a tense match, found the one opportunity that opened the doors of the final.
Final TAMAOKI, Momo (JPN) vs. KLIMKAIT, Jessica (CAN)
Bronze Medal Contests PERISIC, Marica (SRB) vs. GJAKOVA, Nora (KOS) STOLL, Theresa (GER) vs. DEGUCHI, Christa (CAN)
Final Results 1. KLIMKAIT, Jessica (CAN) 2. TAMAOKI, Momo (JPN) 3. GJAKOVA, Nora (KOS) 3. STOLL, Theresa (GER) 5. DEGUCHI, Christa (CAN) 5. PERISIC, Marica (SRB) 7. KONKINA, Anastasiia (RJF) 7. MONTEIRO, Telma (POR)
-73kg: SHAVDATUASHVILI Adds World Gold to His Collection No matter what would be the outcome of the final, it would be an unexpected new world champion, as the final brought Tommy MACIAS (SWE) and Lasha SHAVDATUASHVILI (GEO) together on the tatami. After a little less than one minute, MACIAS was penalised with a first shido for false attack as SHAVDATUASHVILI looked like an impregnable fortress. Before entering the last minute, MACIAS received a second shido, putting SHAVDATUASHVILI in a good position, knowing his tactical skills. It was time for golden score!
After 50 seconds and a last sequence where MACIAS stepped out of the tatami and was penalised a third time, the victory went to Lasha SHAVDATUASHVILI, who takes his place amid the group of champions who have won the Olympic Games, the continental championships and now the world championships. Bravo!
Lasha SHAVDATUASHVILI said "Judo gives you special moments if you work very hard. I've been chasing this title for so many years. The reason I succeeded today is because I think of judo 24 hours a day. Now that I have the three major titles in the world of judo, I hope that the young generation in Georgia will get inspired by my career and understand that without hard work you can not win."
The first bronze medal contest saw Doha World Judo Masters bronze medallist, Khikmatillokh TURAEV (UZB), competing against Bilal CILOGLU (TUR), who so far had no record in 2021. With a waza-ari scored in the last seconds of the match with a sumi-gaeshi Bilal CILOGLU conquered the bronze medal to step on the podium.
Probably disappointed by his loss in the semi-final, Japan’s HASHIMOTO Soichi faced Hidayat HEYDAROV (AZE) for the second bronze. After ten competitions without any result, this was the occasion for HEYDAROV to taste again the metal of a world medal, as he already has four world medals, from juniors and seniors combined. The match started with a false rhythm punctuated by penalties for false attacks, unsuccessful acceleration of HASHIMOTO and attempts to break HASHIMOTO's strong kumi-kata by HEYDAROV. With two shido to each of their names, the two competitors entered the golden score period and it was after 13 seconds that HASHIMOTO scored ippon to join the other medallists on the podium.
In this category, a lot of experts would say in the morning that they'd see HASHIMOTO Soichi (JPN) at least in the final, if not world champion, but this was without counting on the determination of Tommy MACIAS (SWE). The Swedish athlete is not a newcomer on the circuit. Having already won 2 Grand Slam and 2 Grand Prix golds among his collection of 11 medals on the World Judo Tour, the Swedish competitor has shown incredible consistency over the day, which is not always the case. In 2021, MACIAS participated in six events and never stepped on the podium, but today was his day and he didn't let it go, especially in the semi-final, where he defeated HASHIMOTO Soichi, showing prodigious mental strength when he thought he had won, but the referees took off the score and he had to keep competing.
Beside his significant victory against HASHIMOTO, MACIAS made his way to the final by winning successively against Nurlan OSMANOV (AZE), Victor SCVORTOV (UAE), Adrian SULCA (ROM) and Khikmatillokh TURAEV (UZB).
On the other half of the draw, the whole public was following their local hero, UNGVARI Miklos (HUN) and match after match their hope for a new feat from the Olympic and world medallist was growing. Aged 40, UNGVARI was looking 20 today, putting all his energy out there on the tatami.
He was heroic, especially against Olympic champion, Lasha SHAVDATUASHVILI (GEO), in the quarter-final, where only a small shido made the difference in favour of SHAVDATUASHVILI, who then kept on winning to reach the final.
In the repechage UNGVARI lost again after an incredible match against Hidayat HEYDAROV (AZE).
For the sum of his career and his dedication, even if he didn't have a rendezvous with a medal in Budapest, UNGVARI Miklos can be proud. Hats off, champion.
Final MACIAS, Tommy (SWE) vs. SHAVDATUASHVILI, Lasha (GEO)
Bronze Medal Contests TURAEV, Khikmatillokh (UZB) vs. CILOGLU, Bilal (TUR) HEYDAROV, Hidayat (AZE) vs. HASHIMOTO, Soichi (JPN)
Final Results 1. SHAVDATUASHVILI, Lasha (GEO) 2. MACIAS, Tommy (SWE) 3. CILOGLU, Bilal (TUR) 3. HASHIMOTO, Soichi (JPN) 5. HEYDAROV, Hidayat (AZE) 5. TURAEV, Khikmatillokh (UZB) 7. CASES ROCA, Salvador (ESP) 7. UNGVARI, Miklos (HUN)