We had also added another candidate just in case, the Georgian Vazha Margvelashvili. Let the bouquet of flowers be big because everyone present responded, everyone was faithful to the script of the film that we had prepared. It remained to be seen the form, the style, the how.
Let's be honest, Vieru was so good that his real tournament began in the quarter-finals against current European champion, Ukrainian Bogdan Iadov. He had a tough contest because it is never easy at this stage of a world championship. The semi-final against Abe was to be the real litmus test.
The Japanese entered the tournament like a bullet, took it more calmly in the second round, to accelerate again and sweep everyone out of his way to the semi-finals.
Vieru is a phenomenon, with even more class than Abe, but the Japanese is much more powerful. In fact his main characteristic is that strength on which he bases his victories. Abe won by waza-ari and it was neither unfair nor scandalous.
Maruyama was even more expeditious. Of all of his opponents, there was curiosity in seeing the Georgian because he likes contact, short distances, and Maruyama is the opposite, pure plasticity. Despite Margvelashvili's style, the Japanese employed his legs as if he were doing ballet and raised one like a Bolshoi dancer to lift his rival from the tatami. Maruyama is a true artist, his judo is more beautiful than Abe's, more creative, but also effective. Not even the Korean An Baul was able to put the Japanese in trouble.
It was the expected final, the announced one, but also a real test for Maruyama because Abe has taken the measure, he is the only one who knows how to beat him and it is possible that it has taken a mental toll on Maruyama. Or maybe it was the opportunity to see how the world champion managed to overtake the Olympic champion and turn the odds on their head.
The public was delighted, aware of living an historic moment because this type of final at this level can only happen in the world championships. Those present applauded Abe and gave much more for Maruyama. They had chosen their favourite while respecting the rival. They each did what they do best, Abe using his power and Maruyama using his agility. They know each other too well. Abe racked up two shido very early on, Maruyama had one.
An advantage for Maruyama, forced Abe to attack and that's what he did and he scored waza-ari to get the gold medal. We don't know how much each loss against Abe affects Maruyama but it is a crucial factor in understanding why he didn't live up to what he had shown in previous rounds. Or, it's possible that Abe is just better, at least in the moments that count and that allows him to be a three-time world champion. This is his time, this is Abe's supremacy.
An Baul hung the first bronze after beating the Italian Elios Manzi but, we are not going to lie, the fight was frankly boring; neither scored and it ended when the Italian conceded a third shido. You have to know how to win even when aesthetics take a backseat.
More equal and, a priori, more spectacular had to be the fight for the second bronze between Vieru and Margvelashvili, the first two in the world ranking. It was a kumi-kata match, an exceptional tactical fight between two great judoka. With one second to go, one tiny second, Vieru uncovered the box of tricks, magician that he is, to score waza-ari. One second, this Moldovan is a genius and closed a day in which Japan played its anthem twice again. Four golds out of four possible is called perfection.
Final (-66 kg)
Bronze Medal Fights (-66 kg)
