Mixed teams shine on the final day, thank you Tashkent

One of the most exciting dates on the Judo tour, the mixed team World Championships, took place today in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Travelling Judo fans and local enthusiasts alike flooded the Humo Arena to witness the final electric day of Judo.

Every single Mixed Team Championships since its inception in 2017 has seen judo giants Japan in the final, and since 2018 they have met the powerhouse nation of France each time. With a 3-0 record going into the Olympics, France turned the tables and became Mixed Team Olympic Champions.

Today, Japan came to reclaim the top spot. And they started well, Goki Tajima went ahead with a waza-ari score against France’s Mathieu, and then solidified the victory with a fantastic Ippon, 1-0 to Japan.

France’s recently crowned World Champion Romane Dicko didn’t waste any time leveling the score, defeating the World Bronze Medallist, Tomita, to make it 1-1.

Ota Hyoga achieved two waza-ari scores to claim the men's heavyweight win against Joseph Terhec. But once again France came out strong, this time Olympic medallist Sarah Leonie Cysique catching Funakubo for two great waza-ari scores. 2-2. The heat was on.

Japan’s Harada Kenshi held down France’s Gaba, and once again Japan edged ahead 3-2. So France turned to their former World Champion Marie Eve Gahie, who stepped out against World Bronze Medallist, Niizoe Saki, a fight everyone was on the edge of their seat for. 

It was the Japanese judoka that came out on top though, a fantastic performance from Niizoe, that saw her win the decisive fight, making the score 4-2. 

This statistic meant that Japan has taken every single World Team Gold since the team event became mixed; the only medal to still evade them is the Olympic Gold.

Dr. Laszlo Toth, IJF Vice