–48 kg: Yoshino and Diaz Hernandez Shine on a Day Full of Surprises
In the upper half of the draw, all eyes were on Tara Babulfath (SWE), naturally. A world and Olympic medallist at senior level and already a grand slam winner, the young Swedish judoka came to Lima as one of the most reliable names in her category.
On paper, Babulfath was clearly the one to beat but that is exactly what happened, thanks to a superb performance from Aitana Diaz Hernandez (ESP), who never allowed Babulfath to find her rhythm or build her judo. The Spaniard avoided ground exchanges carefully, where Babulfath is particularly dangerous, controlling the contest from start to finish. The elimination of the Swedish star, who was not reinstated later through the repechage, came as a surprise, but in the junior ranks, anything is possible. Riding the wave of her success, Diaz Hernandez continued her impressive run to reach the semi-final, where she met Vera Wandel (NED) for a place in the final. The Spaniard eventually defeated Wandel to secure her spot.
In the lower half of the draw, Morgane Annis (FRA) made a strong start, defeating Anastasiia Barabash (IJF) and Claudia Pla Belmonte (ESP) before facing Sachiyo Yoshino (JPN). However, the Japanese judoka proved too strong for the Frenchwoman, who saw her hopes of a semi-final place slip away. It was Laziza Haydarova (UZB), an outsider, who caused an upset instead by advancing to meet Yoshino in the last four, but once again, it was the Japanese judoka who prevailed with composure and precision.
The final featured Aitana Diaz Hernandez (ESP) and Sachiyo Yoshino (JPN), a thrilling encounter between two athletes who had shown both tactical maturity and fighting spirit throughout the day. The bronze medals were to be contested between Morgane Annis (FRA) and Vera Wandel (NED), and Laura Vasquez (ECU) and Laziza Haydarova (UZB), completing a strong line-up for the first women’s final block of these Junior World Championships in Lima.
–60 kg: All-Japan Final in Lima
With a world ranking of number two, Christopher Velazco (USA) entered the tournament as the top seed. In the quarter-final, he faced Retsu Matsunaga (JPN) but unfortunately for him he could not find a way past the Japanese judoka’s precise and composed style. A single yuko proved decisive, as Matsunaga controlled the contest from start to finish.
Another American, world cadet champion Jonathan Yang, also had a chance to reach the semi-finals but his opponent, Samariddin Kuchkarov (UZB), left him no real opportunity. Kuchkarov produced a superb seoi-otoshi, scoring an unquestionable ippon to secure his place in the last four. The first semi-final therefore featured Retsu Matsunaga (JPN) and Samariddin Kuchkarov (UZB), a contest that Matsunaga won to advance to the final.
In the lower half of the draw, Ahmed Alaoui Cherifi (MAR) was determined to make the Moroccan flag shine but he was stopped in the third round by Ruslan Poltoratskii (BRN), who was then defeated by another Japanese competitor, Yusei Adachi (JPN). After already overcoming Kelvin Ray (FRA) in the previous round, Adachi went on to face another French athlete, Zacharie Dijol, in the semi-final. Once again the Japanese judoka prevailed.
The final line-up was therefore entirely Japanese: Retsu Matsunaga (JPN) versus Yusei Adachi (JPN), a fitting conclusion to a category dominated by Japan’s young talent.
The bronze medal contests featured Ruslan Poltoratskii (BRN) against Samariddin Kuchkarov (UZB) and Jonathan Yang (USA) against Zacharie Dijol (FRA).
–52 kg: Ruiz and Marques Battle Their Way to the Final
Gaia Stella (ITA) made a promising start and looked set for a strong performance. After two victories, against Mackenzie McPherson (USA) and Sugdiyona Rafkatova (UZB), she faced Leomaris Ruiz (VEN) but it was the Venezuelan judoka who prevailed, earning her place in the semi-final. There she met Tabea Nika Mecklenburg (GER), the top seed in pool B, who had lived up to expectations until that point. After a long, tense contest, it was ultimately Ruiz who held her nerve to claim the win and secure her ticket to the final.
In the lower half of the draw, Nicole Marques (BRA) showed no hesitation as she advanced to the semi-final, though the road was far from easy. In her opening contest, she had to wait until golden score to finally secure a liberating yuko against Carina Klaus-Sternwieser (AUT). She then recorded two more decisive victories, defeating Nurailym Sarsenbek (KAZ) and Monica Martinez de Rituerto Morillas (ESP), both by ippon.
Meanwhile, Nungshithoi Chanu Leishangthem (IND) once again demonstrated that Indian judo is on a remarkable rise. Dominating her early contests with confidence and precision, she joined Marques in the semi-final. The contest was tightly fought, each judoka scoring a yuko, but in the end, a mistake, an illegal leg grab, cost Leishangthem her place in the final.
The final therefore featured Leomaris Ruiz (VEN) and Nicole Marques (BRA), a contest between two athletes who had shown great tactical discipline throughout the day. The bronze medals were contested between Monica Martinez de Rituerto Morillas (ESP) and Tabea Nika Mecklenburg (GER) on one side, and Hako Fukunaga (JPN) and Nungshithoi Chanu Leishangthem (IND) on the other, ensuring another exciting finish in the –52kg category.
–66 kg: Gigauri Stuns the Field to Reach the Final
The competition was fierce in the –66kg category. As the solid world number one and top seed, Dilshodbek Hamroyev (UZB), reigning Asian junior champion and a consistent gold medallist through the season, with the sole exception of a silver at the Istanbul Junior European Cup, appeared the clear favourite for the title. However, Tornike Gigauri, from Georgia’s renowned judo school, had other plans. He ended Hamroyev’s campaign before the semi-finals.
Another outsider, Nizami Imranov (AZE), produced one of the day’s surprises by joining Gigauri in the semi-final after four impressive victories in the elimination rounds. The semi-final seemed, for a long time, to be going one way; Imranov scored a waza-ari and two yuko, maintaining control throughout. Yet nothing is ever certain against a Georgian judoka. In the closing moments, Gigauri launched a powerful attack, throwing his opponent flat on his back to secure his place in the final.
A similar storyline unfolded in pool C, where underdog Abdullakh Parchiev (IJF) advanced through the rounds with determination, winning twice by yuko, once by waza-ari and once by ippon. On his way to the final, he faced one of the category’s favourites, Shuntaro Fukuchi (JPN), but the pattern of surprises continued. It seemed destined that the title would go to an outsider and Parchiev became the first judoka to secure a spot in a final on this opening day of competition in Lima.
The final therefore featured Tornike Gigauri (GEO) and Abdullakh Parchiev (IJF), a thrilling clash between two unexpected finalists. The bronze medals were contested between Mahammad Musayev (AZE) and Nizami Imranov (AZE) on one side and Bruno Nobrega (BRA) and Shuntaro Fukuchi (JPN) on the other, ensuring more excitement and drama to close an intense day in the –66kg division.
–57 kg: Japan and Kazakhstan Take Control
Brazil, one of the powerhouses of world judo, entered the –57 kg category with two strong contenders, Gyovanna Andrade and Bianca Reis, the top seed in pool C. Both lived up to expectations early on, advancing to the semi-finals after impressive performances, to meet Dana Abdirova (KAZ) and Mio Shirakane (JPN) respectively.
Of the four top seeds at the start of the day, only Bianca Reis maintained her position through to the semi-finals, while Michela Terranova (ITA), Emma Melis (FRA) and Shahin Rajakbhai Darjada (IND) were eliminated earlier than expected.
In the semi-finals, Reis appeared to control the contest but a lack of precision cost her dearly as Mio Shirakane (JPN) capitalised on two scoring opportunities to claim her place in the final. Meanwhile, Andrade faced a tough challenge against Dana Abdirova (KAZ) and was defeated by ippon through an immobilisation, ending Brazilian hopes of a gold medal.
The final therefore featured Dana Abdirova (KAZ) and Mio Shirakane (JPN). The first bronze medal contest saw Jevgenija Gajic (SLO) face Gyovanna Andrade (BRA), while Asuka Ueno (JPN) and Bianca Reis (BRA) met for the second bronze.