By Euronews with IJF
Published on
It’s day 2 in Budapest at the OTP Bank World Judo Championships.
Dr. Tamas Sulyok, President of Hungary officially opened the event with IJF President, Mr Marius Vizer and Hungarian Judo Association President Dr Lazlo Toth in the presence of President of the Republic of Botswana President Duma Gideon Boko.
ABE Uta powered her way into the final with precision and control from the first exchange. Her judo was sharp, her focus unshakable, and she looked every bit the champion in waiting. She sailed through the preliminaries, calm under pressure.
In the final, she would face Kosovo’s Distria KRASNIQI — a fierce competitor looking for a World title of her own. Krasniqi had been in excellent form throughout the day, battling through the preliminaries with a determination that makes her such a dangerous opponent.
As the gold medal contest approached, both athletes looked sharp, setting the stage for a high-level clash between two world-class judoka.
Ultimately, it was Abe who came out on top once again, claiming her fifth world title in style with ippon! The crowd roared with joy.
Her Imperial Highness Princess Tomohito of Mikasa awarded the medals.
In the -66kg, Tajikistan’s Nurali EMOMALI made it to the gold medal match after an impressive run through the preliminaries. After taking fifth place at last year’s World Championships, one final contest stood between him and history.
His opponent would be Japan’s Takeshi TAKEOKA who delivered a brilliant performance, making his way to the final with confident, high-paced judo. Each contest showed his relentless pressure as he drove his way towards his goal, could he prove he belonged among the elite?
In the final, as the two athletes went head-to-head in a tightly contested match, it was a single yuko that proved decisive — a small score in a high-stakes moment that ultimately determined the World Champion.
President of the Republic of Botswana President Duma Gideon Boko awarded the medals.
A highlight for the home nation was Roza GYEReadNOWYAS’s impressive bronze medal! A moment that lit up the arena and brought the Budapest crowd to their feet.
Join us again tomorrow for more!