Ai Tsunoda Roustant claimed the -70kg world title at the World Judo Championships in Baku, defeating Austria’s Michaela Polleres in a tactical Golden Score final. The 24-year-old Spanish judoka secured the sixth world gold medal in Spanish judo history, avenging her fifth-place finish at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games where Polleres had blocked her path to the podium.
Tactical Final Decided in Golden Score Against Polleres
The championship bout between Tsunoda and Polleres stretched into the Golden Score period after a grueling tactical battle on the tatami. Tsunoda maintained her competitive intensity until Polleres picked up her third shido, resulting in disqualification through cumulative penalties. International Judo Federation referee director Juan Carlos Barcos presented the medals to the athletes following the grueling contest. Michaela Polleres had been gaining momentum in each match, and with an Olympic silver and bronze as well as two World Championship bronzes, she was no stranger to the major stages of judo.
Path to the World Championship Podium
Entering the tournament unseeded, Tsunoda carved a demanding path through the 70kg bracket in Baku. She subsequently overcame Sweden’s Ingrid Nilsson in the quarterfinals and Serbia’s Aleksandra Andric in the semifinals to reach her first senior world final.
Family Roots and International Journey to the Top
Born in Lleida in 2002, Tsunoda grew up immersed in the sport through her Japanese father, Go, and French mother, Céline Roustant, both judo coaches who guided her early training. Her progression included winning cadet and junior world titles in 2019, 2021, and 2022, and relocating to Japan in 2023 to study martial arts at Tokai University. Her victory in Baku elevates Spain’s medal tally at the championships to four, following silver medals from Ariane Toro and David García Torné alongside Ayumi Leiva’s bronze. She had already earned her first podium finish on the senior circuit at just 17 years old with a bronze medal at the 2020 Tel Aviv Grand Prix, and she was also fifth at the 2025 World Championships after winning the Paris Grand Slam that same year.
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