It was a super-tight match, including two stoppages for a small cut above Cargnin’s eye. In the end though it was Gaba whose dynamic style paid dividends. Just seconds into golden score he drove into Cargnin with an unorthodox kata-guruma and logged the necessary score to become world champion. This is France’s first new male world champion since Loic Petri won in 2013 in Rio de Janeiro; what a great achievement for the 24-year-old. It is also France’s 60th world title across all men and women.
In the first bronze medal contest Makhmadmek Makhmadbekov (UAE) and Bajsangur Bagajev (SRB) engaged for a physical battle in which every move was at risk of being countered. From one to the other, the advantage swung between them but eventually it was Makhmadbekov who countered the Serbian judoka, almost as the contest ended, to win his first medal a world championships. He had no World Judo Tour medal prior to his arrival in Budapest but now his CV has risen to a whole new level.
In the second bronze medal contest Tatsuki Ishihara (JPN) and Manuel Lombardo (ITA) faced off, Lombardo taking his time to focus as he walked toward the tatami, a deep breath before bowing to his opponent.
The right-handed Italian against the left-handed Japanese judoka delivered both a technical and tactical contest. Lombardo, too cagey in the opening phases, earned himself a shido and then gave Ishihara the space to score; a yuko was awarded for an o-uchi-gari that had a huge change of direction. Not settling for that ending, just as the seconds ticked away, Lombardo equalised and gave himself the chance to start as if from the beginning but as the golden score period began, Ishihara countered an attack to register a waza-ari on the scoreboard and secure the medal for team Japan.
Final (-73 kg)
Bronze Medal Fights (-73 kg)
