Double Olympic medallist Michaela Polleres and the ever-dangerous Ai Tsunoda Roustant came out on top in the preliminaries but a prediction for the crown was still precarious, such was the quality of judo from both, even if the styles were different.
Final: Ai Tsunoda Roustant (ESP) vs Michaela Polleres (AUT)
Michaela Polleres is Austria’s first world championship finalist since Ludwig Paischer won silver in Cairo in 2005. For Tsunoda Roustant, the national element was less urgent and actually Spain have already had a fantastic liaison in Baku with two silvers and a bronze in hand.
This was a kumi-kata study for judoka of the future; so different but also so capable against each other’s preferred positions, they gave everything to stop gripping being their downfall. As they blocked each other out while still managing to attack, the first penalties came. Either looked capable of taking the win but today was Ai Tsunoda Roustant’s day.
It took 7 minutes and 21 seconds for the last penalty to arrive at Polleres’ door. Spain had a new world champion and Austria could be proud of yet another huge medal being won by Michaela Polleres.
After the final, Ai Tsunoda Roustant spoke about her day, “Winning this world title is an incredible feeling. The final was extremely close and difficult but I kept fighting until the very end. I knew I had to give everything I had.
My family has played an essential role in my career, especially my father, with whom I have trained for so many years. My mother, my brother and my husband have also been incredibly important. We have shared so much both on and off the tatami and I am deeply grateful to all of them.”
Bronze medal contest: Nauana Silva (BRA) vs Giovanna Scoccimarro (GER)
This contest was dominated from the outset by Giovanna Scoccimarro, stronger in the gripping phases, more active and more confident than her opponent, but Silva had a seoi-otoshi which threatened the German judoka several times.
Scoccimarro stayed focused and in a particularly busy exchange in which Silva attacked, Scoccimarro was able to counter for a very important yuko. It remained the only score on the board as the clock ticked down to zero and so Germany had its first medal in Baku after the two fifth places of Mascha and Seija Ballhaus on days two and three respectively.
Bronze medal contest: Madina Taimazova (RUS) vs Aleksandra Andric (SRB)
Two powerful judoka stepped onto the tatami of the National Gymnastics Arena for an unpredictable contest. After the first two exchanges, each took a step back, needing to be more cautious, knowing the other was ready.
At the halfway mark, Taimazova caught Andric for a small score but one that would be decisive if Andric didn’t raise the pace. She tried but Taimazova was ready for everything and so Andric had to accept two penalties. This is the Russian judoka’s second senior world bronze medal.
Final (-70 kg)
Bronze Medal Fights (-70 kg)
