UAE head coach Viktor Scvortov looked overjoyed as the final gong sounded, while Lytvynenko held her face in her hands, hardly able to believe what she had achieved.
France’s Kaila Issoufi was her country’s first finalist of this world championship meeting, earning herself a first world medal, silver. Ikeda (JPN) and Olek (GER) completed the podium, the Japanese judoka’s ne-waza standing out as the kind of technical precision coaches look to show their young charges in the search for mastery. It was well drilled, proficient excellence that few can bypass.
Ilia Sulamanidze (GEO) topped the men’s -100 kg podium with a display of gritty judo, fought with the whole of his heart throughout the day. The Georgian threw Dota Arai for a yuko in golden score after a very close contest which could have gone either way.
Twenty-one year old Arai has now demonstrated that he is totally engaged with the senior level. It is almost a foregone conclusion that he will be back on the hunt for gold again very soon. His style is entertaining, fun, explosive and of course technical, a firm favourite among judo fans all over the world.
The -100 kg podium was completed by world number one Gennaro Pirelli (ITA) and 32-year-old Niiaz Bilalov (RUS). These bronzes were first world medals for both athletes, just as Arai’s was for him.
Just one more day of individual competition remains and so tomorrow the heavyweights will step on to the tatami. Contests begin at 11:30am local time. Tune in to JudoTV.com to catch all the action as it unfolds.