Assunta Scutto secured a silver medal for Italy on the opening day of the 2026 World Judo Championships at the National Gymnastics Arena in Baku, Azerbaijan, after falling to Japan’s Wakana Koga in the women’s 48kg final. The 24-year-old Neapolitan fighter reached her fifth senior world championship podium in as many appearances since 2022, marking a significant return to form following a spring elbow surgery.
Scutto’s podium finish provided the Italian delegation with its first medal of the tournament at the first possible opportunity. While the defeat prevented the Italian from defending the world title she won in 2025 at Budapest, the silver medal reinforces her status among the global elite in the 48kg division following a challenging stretch of matches and subsequent physical recovery.
Opening Day Battles at the National Gymnastics Arena in Baku
The journey to the final required Scutto to navigate a demanding bracket against top-tier international competition. The Italian opened her campaign by defeating the top-seeded Chinese competitor, Xinran Hui, utilizing an initial yuko scored via o-uchi-gari. Scutto then advanced past Turkey’s Merve Azak by ippon and overcame Brazil’s Clarice Ribeiro with a rapid gaeshi counter.
In the semifinal bout, the Italian contender overcame Russia’s Marina Vorobeva with tactical precision and a ground-game transition that secured an ippon. Meanwhile, teammate Andrea Carlino competed in the men’s 60kg division for the C.S. Esercito, exiting the tournament in his opening match against Morocco’s Cherifi.
The Final Clash Against Wakana Koga
The gold medal match pitched Scutto against Japan’s Wakana Koga, extending a historical head-to-head rivalry. Koga claimed the victory at 1 minute and 41 seconds into the contest by executing an o-uchi-gari and osaekomi combination that produced a yuko followed by an ippon. The result moves Scutto’s career record against Koga to 0-3 and maintains a wider 0-7 record against Japanese senior competitors.
Reflecting on the match, Scutto noted physical limitations coming into the event. “I was not at 100% form because I had some small problems recently,” Scutto stated regarding her physical preparation following her spring surgery. “I am happy with how I managed the competition today, especially in the most uncomfortable situations. I was not able to do my best against my Japanese opponent, but starting immediately I will work for next year, to win back the world title.”
Scutto Wins Silver After Recovering from Surgery
National technical director Raffaele Toniolo emphasized the historical weight of Scutto’s performance across five consecutive world championships. “It is a fantastic silver that repays her for a difficult period due to injuries,” Toniolo said, pointing to the five-month recovery window following her May surgery. “Today Susy was there and she proved it from the very first match by beating the Chinese number one seed who had beaten her a little over a month ago in Lausanne.”
The podium in the women’s 48kg category was rounded out by France’s Shirine Boukli and Russia’s Sabina Giliazova, who each claimed bronze medals. In the men’s 60kg competition, local favorite Ahmad Yusifov captured the gold medal for Azerbaijan after defeating Kazakhstan’s Sherzod Davlatov in the final, with Japan’s Ryuju Nagayama and Georgia’s Giorgi Sardalashvili taking the bronze medals.
Schedule for the Upcoming Sessions in Azerbaijan
Competition at the National Gymnastics Arena continues with individual category elimination rounds and subsequent block finals. The preliminary sessions are scheduled to begin at 10:00 local time in Baku, featuring the women’s 52kg category with Odette Giuffrida, alongside the men’s 66kg category featuring Italian competitors Valerio Accogli and Matteo Piras.
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