Japan Continues Dominance with Seventh World Mixed Team Judo Championship Win

Japan won the World Mixed Team Judo Championships for the seventh time in as many editions, sharply dominating France four victories to one on Friday in Abu Dhabi. Olympic champion in Tokyo against Japan, France fails for the sixth time in a row in the World Cup final against the country of judo. The two nations had not registered their typical teams for these Worlds placed only two months before the Olympic Games.

In the final, Japan scored its first point thanks to Kanta Nakano in the heavyweight category, who got the better of the young Frenchman Mathéo Akiana-Mongo. Faiza Mokdar was mowed down by Momo Tamaoki (-57 kg) in the Golden Score. It then took just 27 seconds for Ryuga Tanaka to overthrow Joan-Benjamin Gaba. (-73 kg). New world champion in the -70 kg category, Margaux Pinot kept hope alive by beating Shiho Tanaka with difficulty, disqualified in overtime for a third penalty.

But in a fight between two generations, the 37-year-old veteran Axel Clerget, double world medalist 2018 and 2019, was unable to win his third match of the day, dominated by the 18-year-old junior world champion Komei Kowabata (-90 kg). This team event closed the 2024 Worlds, won overall by Japan with also three individual coronations, two silver medals and four bronze medals. France finished sixth in the individual category with one title, one silver medal and three bronze medals.

2024-05-24 15:36:23
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