Russia knocked Georgia out, Canada knocked the hosts out and Mongolia defeated Turkiye, all in the first round. The remaining quarter-finals were lined up and ready but with no result predicted reliably in advance. The departure of Japan had already reminded us of that!
Uzbekistan went to the semi-final having snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. They were down 3-1 against Russia but following a golden score decider, won 4-3. Brazil went 4-0 up over Canada and France dropped in to the repechage at the hands of Monglia. Brazil and Kazakhstan then took one more step forward to claim their spots in the final.
Final: Kazakhstan vs Brazil
This final kicked off with one of Kazakhstan’s new world cadet champions taking the reins. It was a tough -60 kg contest against Rafael Falcao (BRA) but Rassulkhan Gabit held his nerve and won an important first point by a single yuko.
Inzhu Zhumazhan (KAZ) then went a waza-ari up in her -63 kg contest against Manuela Maia (BRA) but the Brazilian shook it off and responded with two waza-ari throws of her own, both seoi-otoshi, and left the mat to make way for Davi Pereira (BRA) who promptly arm locked his opponent. Having started playing catch-up, Brazil were now leading 2-1.
Togzhan Tolebay (KAZ) won the +63 kg contest to equalise for Kazakhstan and Tolebay’s teammate and new heavyweight world cadet champion, Adilzhan Zhaudinov then stepped up and won too, making it 3-2 to Kazakhstan. Brazil was facing a challenge, especially when Kazakh lightweight Iyanat Zhubatkan scored a yuko early in the last if the 6 contests.
Giovanna Imhof, Brazil’s last hope, had no intention of leaving this as the final scoreline and worked hard to put Zhubatkan under pressure. She did a fantastic job, never losing focus and managed to find her space and throw for a waza-ari. Brazil had done it, evening up the tally when all looked lost.
The dial then spun to select the golden score contest that would be the decider. It was 3-3 and everything still hung in the balance. As -48 kg shone on the screens in the Coliseo Voltaire Paladines Polo, Iyanat Zhubatkan and Giovanna Imhof prepared to go again, no rest, no time to accumulate doubts. A deep breath from each judoka and it was time to find out who would be the world cadet mixed team champions.
Having lost in their first liaison, Zhubatkan came back renewed, ready to do better. She avoided the mistakes of the last contest and focused her movements more precisely. Imhof continued to attack but this time her Kazakh opponent was ready and countered for a waza-ari.
Kazakhstan are the champions! They came through the draw from their position as 8th seed, knocked out the world number one, Japan, and never looked back. Their spirit and unwavering focus, as a team, was a joy to see in Guayaquil.
Bronze medal contest: Russian Federation vs Mongolia
Everyone is aware that the win earns a medal and the loss equates to empty hands. Commitment and pressure rise accordingly for the bronze medal matches and these cadets are managing it all perfectly. This is a great source of education for the future.
The match began with a full-time -60 kg contest in which Mongolia took the point by a single yuko. An ippon win to Polina Viziriakina by armlock took the scoreline to 1-1.
The -81 kg contest was all action. Three yuko scores to Rustam Kashipov (RUS) and a single yuko to Temuulen Bayarjavkhlan (MGL) offered high hopes to the Russian Russian team but Bayarjavkhlan had more to give and threw for a waza-ari inside the last minute. It was the last score of the contest.
Anna Zheleva, Russia’s new heavyweight world champion, came out next and she won with a yuko in the first exchange and an almost immediate ippon after that. It was an impressively fast win and took the tally to 2-2, leaving it up to fellow world cadet champion Artem Nikulin (RUS) or Mongolia’s Omar Rasol to claim a lead for their respective team.
Almost unbelievably, Rasol’s instincts and reactions lead to Nikulin having a really rough time of it. He kept attacking but Rasol countered and evaded expertly, managing to notch up 3 yuko scores and eventually the all-important ippon. Mongolia was now ahead.
Gadanova (RUS) did all she could to bring it back to even but while leading the fight she performed an illegal action and was duly disqualified, meaning Mongolia had their fourth win and would step on to the podium to collect bronze.
Bronze medal contest: France vs Uzbekistan
At first this looked like an Uzbek whitewash in the making. Abubakr Sattorov (-60 kg), Parizoda Yuldasheva (-63 kg) and Bekhruzbek Usmonov (-81 kg) won their contests to take Uzbekistant to 3-1 up. France had a lot of ground to make up.
Astan Sacko (FRA) certainly hadn’t given up. She faced Poshshajon Jumabaeva (UZB), one of Uzbekistan’s heroines from earlier in the day. Sacko countered and held Jumabaeva for ippon bringing France a little light.
Next up, Azriel Dekenne Diffo (FRA) and Alibek Durdiev (UZB) faced off, two heavyweights with their team’s fate in their hands. It was a contest which began calmly but tension rose and then the pace followed. The penalties began to emerge, first one each for non-combativity but then a second for Dekenne Diffo.
Durdiev could feel the win was close. Not wanting to go out on penalties, the French judoka attacked in a rush and gave his balance to Durdiev who countered for a waza-ari. The final scoreline was 4-1 and Uzbekistan had their place on the podium.
Final Results
GOLD - Kazakhstan
SILVER - Brazil
BRONZE - Mongolia
BRONZE - Uzbekistan
