Without hesitation and with little surprise, Qurbonzoda reached the semi-finals where she faced Sofia Cordova (SWE). The Swedish judoka had only managed a modest seventh place at the 2025 EYOF in Skopje, a result that seemed well within Qurbonzoda’s reach, but as every judoka knows, nothing is written in advance. In a major upset, Cordova prevailed and stormed into the final, to the astonishment of the crowd.
On the other side of the draw, much was expected from Valeriia Kozlova (IJF). However, her campaign was cut short by Georgia’s Mariam Guliashvili who cleared the opening round before falling in the quarter-final to Monica Martinez de Rituerto Morillas (ESP). The Spaniard then came up against Rio Shirakane (JPN), determined to open Japan’s medal tally. As anticipated, it was Shirakane who secured victory, booking her place in the final.
The crowd at the Asics Arena was treated to a fresh and exciting final: Sofia Cordova (SWE) against Rio Shirakane (JPN). In classic Japanese style, Shirakane prevailed through decisive groundwork that left her opponent with no chance to recover. It is no secret that the Japanese are strong in ne-waza but what makes them exceptional is their ability, time and again, to impose both their precision and power. For the Japanese delegation, it was the perfect start, their first medal of the championships and it was gold.
In the battle for bronze, both France and Spain had the opportunity to claim a significant medal, as Alice Lopez (FRA) and Monica Martinez de Rituerto Morillas (ESP) went head-to-head for a place on the podium. The contest was close, though generally tilted in favour of the Spaniard, with Lopez picking up two penalties during normal time. It was in golden score that Martinez de Rituerto Morillas finally found her chance, scoring with a neat o-uchi–ko-uchi combination in a counter situation.
Meanwhile, still carrying the disappointment of her earlier defeat, Madina Qurbonzoda (TJK) had a chance to redeem herself in the other bronze medal contest, against Brazil’s Nicole Marques (BRA). Yet, in golden score, Qurbonzoda was caught by an unstoppable armlock. The tatami became a stage for raw emotion, for surprise, disappointment, joy and disbelief all colliding as Nicole Marques secured the bronze medal and proudly hung it around her neck.
Final (-52 kg)
Bronze Medal Fights (-52 kg)
