By the close of the day, Brazil had moved into first place with two titles, while France, with one gold, dropped to second. Italy’s consistency was rewarded with a climb to third position, confirming the country’s growing depth across the middleweight categories. The shift at the top underscored the fine margins that separate the world’s best judoka, where one contest or even a single exchange can change the course of an entire event.
The middleweight categories once again delivered the mix of drama and quality that defines the sport. One of the standout moments came with the early elimination of Azerbaijan’s Hidayat Heydarov, the reigning Olympic, world and European champion. The favourite was defeated by France’s Dayyan Boulemtafes, a young judoka who showed remarkable calmness and tactical awareness to score a brilliant ippon against his celebrated opponent, before reaching the final and winning a silver medal. The result marked a stunning reversal of fortunes for Boulemtafes who had exited in the first round of the Junior World Championships just a week earlier.
That is the essence of judo and of sport itself. Nothing is certain, nothing guaranteed. The balance can shift in a heartbeat, through a moment of inspiration or the slightest mistake. Champions can fall and newcomers can rise, seemingly from nowhere, to reshape the narrative. On this second day in Lima, that unpredictability was on full display, making it a day to remember on the World Judo Tour.