-63 kg: Morichika Battles Through as Martynenko Shines
With her status as world number one and top seed, Himanshi Tokas (IND) had high hopes of seeing India’s colours rise proudly in the arena. However, her campaign came to an abrupt end in the opening round against Neža Mešiček (SLO), who prevailed in golden score after holding Tokas down for ippon.
That victory seemed to open a clear path for the Slovenian judoka, yet it was Joni Geilen (NED) who ultimately capitalised, showing sharp tactical awareness to book her place in the semi-final. There she would face Viktoriia Martynenko (IJF), a complete outsider who exceeded all expectations to reach the last four.
In pool C, the hierarchy was fully respected, with Savita Russo (ITA) advancing to the semi-final stage as expected. She was joined by So Morichika (JPN), the dominant performer from pool D, setting up an intriguing contest for a place in the final.
While the outcome of the first semi-final was decided swiftly, with Viktoriia Martynenko (IJF) winning convincingly, the second proved far more dramatic. It took more than nine minutes of golden score for So Morichika (JPN) to find an opening against a rock-solid Savita Russo (ITA), who defended relentlessly and even appeared to be in control at times. Always first to attack, Russo pushed her opponent close to a third penalty but in the end it was Morichika who struck decisively with a beautiful uchi-mata for waza-ari, sealing her spot in the final.
-73 kg: Asadulloev Breaks Japanese Dominance
Given the semi-final line-ups, it seemed entirely possible that Japan could sweep the podium in the -73 kg category, with both of its representatives advancing to the final four, a place on each side of the draw.
Keito Kihara (JPN), world number one and top seed, was in ruthless form throughout the day, giving none of his opponents a glimpse of opportunity. He opened with a win over Iaroslav Bunakov (IJF) before defeating Fahd Fithane (CAN) and Narek Vardanian (SWE), successively, each time displaying the kind of pure, composed judo that has made him a leader in his division. In the semi-final, he faced Dushanbe Grand Slam winner Muhiddin Asadulloev (TJK), a strong and determined judoka who had also impressed throughout the rounds.
In the lower half of the draw, Ryusei Arakawa (JPN) matched his teammate’s precision and discipline, securing victory after victory to reach the semi-final, where he met the solid current junior European champion Irakli Goginashvili (GBR). Competing in a highly competitive field, the British judoka’s performance was one to highlight, often under pressure but never out of solutions, he advanced through the rounds with tactical awareness to reach the final four.
While Ryusei Arakawa confirmed at least one Japanese presence in the final with his victory over Goginashvili, things did not go as smoothly for Kihara. Asadulloev disrupted his rhythm, forcing him to take penalties before finally scoring a small but decisive yuko, one of great value that earned him a remarkable place in the final.
-70kg: Fohouo Dominates as Andric Turns the Tables
The -70 kg category promised intensity from the outset and the very first semi-final line-up of the day set the tone perfectly. It featured April Lynn Fohouo (SUI), fighting against Ecem Baysug (TUR). For Fohouo, reaching this stage came as no surprise. As world number one and top seed, the Swiss judoka was right where she was expected to be.
For Baysug, however, it was a different story. Coming in as an outsider, she faced a tough opening bout against pool B top seed Heydi Santillana (COL). Unfazed, the Turkish judoka delivered a confident performance, defeating the Colombian before building on that momentum through each round to secure her place in the semi-final against the favourite.
Moments later, the line-up for the second semi-final was confirmed. The French team, still seeking a strong result, placed high hopes on Teophila Darbes-Takam (FRA), a seeded athlete and bronze medallist at the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games. Her first contest, however, was a tricky one, standing against Japan’s Yoshino Takahashi. The contest was tight and lively, both athletes scoring a waza-ari before Darbes-Takam imposed her power to claim victory by ippon. She carried that momentum forward into her next contest, overcoming Jana Cvjetko (CRO) to reach the semi-final, where she would meet Aleksandra Andric (SRB), who had impressed throughout her section of the draw.
In the semi-finals, April Lynn Fohouo left no room for doubt, overpowering her opponent to secure her place in the final. On the other side of the draw, Aleksandra Andric faced a difficult start against Darbes-Takam, who led by a waza-ari and a yuko. Yet Andric showed great resilience, narrowing the gap before turning the contest around with a decisive hold-down for ippon, earning her place in the final alongside the Swiss favourite.
-81 kg: Akita Joins Turluev in a Battle of Precision
The -81 kg category delivered a blend of power, precision and unexpected twists. The strength and depth of the Azerbaijani school of judo are well known, so seeing Suleyman Shukurov (AZE) as the tournament’s top seed was enough to make the rest of the draw wary. Yet Akhmed Turluev (IJF) was not among those intimidated. Representing the International Judo Federation, he stunned Shukurov in the second round before following up with another strong performance against Sandro Akhlouri (GEO) in the quarter-final to book his place in the semi-finals.
After a promising first day for Brazil, hopes were high for Enzo Trombini but his journey ended earlier than expected. Despite a spirited effort, he could not overcome the subtle yet devastating ko-uchi-gari of Dusan Grahovac (SRB) after more than five minutes of extra time in his opening contest. Grahovac continued his run with another solid round before being stopped by European Youth Olympic medallist Joshua De Lange (NED) in the quarter-finals. In the semi-final, it was eventually Turluev who dominated De Lange to secure his place in the final.
In the lower half of the draw, a former cadet world number one Mihajlo Simin (SRB) and Haru Akita (JPN) emerged as the day’s standout performers, each securing a place in the semi-finals. Their technical precision through the rounds suggested that both had every intention of pushing all the way to the final. It was Akita who ultimately prevailed, joining Akhmed Turluev in the day’s final showdown.