-63 kg: Kaju Extends Her Record

Haruka Kaju (JPN), unbeaten since launching her IJF profile in 2024, faced Canada’s Olympic and world medallist, ne-waza specialist Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard for the gold medal. Beauchemin-Pinard was clearly intending to use her strongest weapons against such an opponent and hunted opportunities on the ground. Kaju struggled to react to the Canadian’s tactics but as they moved into golden score, Kaju exhibited her own ne-waza skills, pinning Beauchemin-Pinard to the tatami for ippon. Kaju remains unbeaten and is now a world champion!

After winning her first world title, Haruka Kaju said, "I have a great team and coaches around me and a great environment, so I'm able to train and be at my best all the time and that's what led to my result here today."

The first bronze medal contest of the final block on day 4 in Budapest was a slow burner to begin with but it accelerated as the minutes passed, edging closer and closer to a decisive movement. However there was still no clear indication of whom would take the medal as, exchange after exchange, the advantage shifted hands. Gankhaich Bold (MGL) and Rafaela Silva (BRA) had each done their homework and so they stepped into the last minute of normal time each with the risk of a third shido knocking on their door.

With ten seconds left on the clock, Bold initiated the only substantial attack of the contest, rolling into Silva with a powerful seoi-nage. Waza-ari was scored and Rafaela Silva had no time left to respond. The -57 kg double world champion came so close to a world medal in a new category but Bold was better on the day.

In the second bronze medal contest Laura Fazliu (KOS) dominated from the very first grip and had the contest completely sewn up within a minute. She threw Nauana Silva (BRA) with a perfectly placed sasae-tsuri-komi-ashi for ippon to claim her second senior world medal. From the chance of two Silva’s reaching the final, Brazil were unable to secure a medal in the end at -63 kg.