-63 kg: Danno and Lkhagvatogoo Advance to the Final
For top seed Iva Oberan (CRO), the day did not unfold as expected. After advancing through the opening round due to the absence of her opponent, Oberan found herself facing Japan’s Megu Danno, a judoka whose international résumé, though modest, already contained an impressive silver medal from the 2024 Tokyo Grand Slam. Aside from that achievement and a fifth-place finish in Paris this year, Danno was far from the most well-known competitor in the Japanese system. Yet she marched through the preliminary rounds with remarkable composure.
Her most striking victory came in the semi-final, where she eliminated former world and Olympic champion Rafaela Silva (BRA) with a superb ippon. Silva had defeated Jessica Klimkait (CAN) earlier in yet another instalment of the rivalry that has played out repeatedly across both continental and world stages in recent months.
In the lower half of the draw, it was Enkhriilen Lkhagvatogoo (MGL) who navigated a most treacherous path successfully. She dispatched Laura Fazliu (KOS) in the quarter-final before overcoming Carlotta Avanzato (ITA) in the semi-final, showing determination and tactical precision throughout the morning.
This set up a final between the revelation of the day, Megu Danno (JPN), and the ever-consistent Mongolian contender, Enkhriilen Lkhagvatogoo (MGL). Meanwhile, both Jessica Klimkait and Rafaela Silva still had opportunities to reach the podium, with Klimkait facing Avanzato and Silva meeting Fazliu in the bronze-medal contests.
–73 kg: Asadulloev Surges as Stump Holds Firm
There was no shortage of drama in the –73 kg category today and spectators were certainly not left disappointed. To begin with, top seed, world and Olympic champion Hidayat Heydarov (AZE), won his opening contest but was then eliminated by a superbly in-form Muhiddin Asadulloev (TJK), a name we would hear again before the day was over. Similarly, former Olympic champion Lasha Shavdatuashvili (GEO) exited in the first round, while Daniel Cargnin (BRA) delivered an excellent run all the way to the semi-finals, where he too fell to the relentless Asadulloev.
In the lower half of the draw, all eyes were on France’s new world champion, Joan-Benjamin Gaba. From his very first contest, it was clear he was not on peak form. Often late to his mark and struggling to impose his usual rhythm, Gaba nonetheless found the grit of a true champion, escaping several dangerous situations in the earlier rounds. However, against the 2023 world champion Nils Stump (SUI), things were different. Stump controlled the contest and defeated Gaba with a well-timed yuko from a hiza-guruma. The Swiss judoka maintained that momentum and went on to defeat the other Tajik Abubakr Sherov in the semi-final with clear authority.
And so we return to Muhiddin Asadulloev, a junior world champion who is already making a deep impression at senior level. Displaying tactical maturity and technical precision well beyond his years, he manoeuvred through the draw like a seasoned contender. In the final, he would face a Nils Stump who appeared completely unshakeable today. An explosive finale was all but guaranteed.
In the bronze-medal contests, Makhmadbek Makhmadbekov (UAE) faced Abubakr Sherov (TJK) in the first bout, while a still-under-par Joan-Benjamin Gaba was set to challenge world and Olympic medallist Daniel Cargnin (BRA) for a chance to reach the podium.
–70 kg: Coughlan and Ozbas Rise to the Occasion
As top seed, Aoife Coughlan (AUS) may have carried expectations but nothing was guaranteed and she had to overcome several obstacles on her path to the day’s final. In her opening contest, she edged out Tamara Lishchenko (RUS) with a tactical performance, before securing a narrow yuko win over Aina Laura Rasoanaivo Razafy (MAD). In the semi-final, Coughlan showed no hesitation, dispatching Rinako Saijo (JPN) with efficiency; solid and disciplined work throughout.
In the lower half of the draw, the hierarchy was also respected, with Szofi Ozbas (HUN) earning her place in the final. She opened with a powerful seoi-otoshi against Katie-Jemima Yeats-Brown (GBR), followed by a yuko from an osaekomi in golden score against Samira Bock (GER). In the semi-final, Ozbas halted the impressive run of Elisavet Teltsidou (GRE), who had been flawless up to that point. The Hungarian judoka completed the job with authority, setting up a final against Coughlan.
The bronze medal contests featured Margit De Voogt (NED) against Elisavet Teltsidou (GRE), and Ida Eriksson (SWE) against Rinako Saijo (JPN), each pair battling for the remaining places on the podium.
–81 kg: Gauthier Drapeau and Tasuev Break Through
We have highlighted it before: on a great day, François Gauthier Drapeau (CAN) is capable of beating anyone! Up to the final, that is exactly what he did. Ramon Hernandez Jr (USA) was his first casualty, dispatched with a superb sode-tsurikomi-goshi. Next to fall was Shinebayar Oyunchimeg (MGL), beaten by two waza-ari scores, the first from an o-soto-gari followed by an osaekomi. Then came Georgi Gramatikov (BUL), thrown for ippon with a left-sided ippon-seoi-nage. The last opponent unable to slow the Canadian was Victor Sterpu (MDA), also defeated by two waza-ari scores. It was a morning of truly exceptional judo!
Meanwhile, in the opposite half of the draw, Vedat Albayrak (TUR) was eliminated in his opening contest by Russia’s Abdul-Kerim Tasuev, who seized the opportunity and surged all the way to the final. His toughest opposition came in the semi-final against Sunatullo Musoev (TJK) but Tasuev closed the contest with two waza-ari scores to secure his place in the gold-medal contest against Gauthier Drapeau.
Gadzhidavud Gasanov (BRN) and Sunatullo Musoev (TJK) still had opportunities to fight for bronze, as did Timo Cavelius (GER) and Victor Sterpu (MDA). The final block promised high-quality judo and plenty of excitement.