Japón claimed two world titles on the third day of the 2026 World Judo Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, as Akari Omori and Ryuga Tanaka secured gold medals in their respective weight classes at the National Gymnastics Arena.
Akari Omori Wins Under-57kg Title in Golden Score
Akari Omori captured the under-57kg world championship after a grueling final against reigning world champion Eteri Liparteliani that extended into the golden score period. Throughout the preliminary rounds, Omori faced a difficult path that included a victory over her compatriot Momo Tamaoki, before demonstrating her ground dominance in the medal bout to turn and pin Liparteliani. Liparteliani had reached the final following a series of high-scoring throws that drew strong crowd support inside the Baku venue. As the National Gymnastics Arena filled up, fans had the opportunity to meet some of their judo heroes before enjoying another fantastic day of competition. Liparteliani stated: Mientras luchaba, el apoyo a Liparteliani era tan fuerte que era lo único que podía oír. El ambiente era increíble. Estaba decidida a ganar, aunque eso significara decepcionar al público.
Ryuga Tanaka Secures Under-73kg Gold with Ouchi-Gari
Tanaka faced the world number three, Makhmadbek Makhmadbekov of the United Arab Emirates, in the gold-medal match, with Makhmadbekov holding a previous world bronze medal and seeking the top spot following a fantastic display of skill and power in the preliminary rounds. A single point decided the bout when Tanaka executed a running ouchi-gari to score a yuko and defeat Makhmadbekov, adding a second gold medal for the Japanese delegation on the third day of competition. IJF General Treasurer Dr. Naser Al Tamimi presented the medals.
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