French judoka Maxime-Gaël Ngayap-Hambou finished fifth in the -90kg category at the World Championships in Baku on Thursday after losing the bronze medal bout to Serbia’s Boris Rutovic, L’Équipe reported. The defeat mirrored aspects of his campaign at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where four of his six opponents were familiar faces from the French capital.
How the Semifinal and Bronze Medal Matches Unfolded in Baku
Ngayap-Hambou fought through a demanding bracket on Thursday, squaring off against three athletes he had previously encountered at Paris 2024—defeating David Klammert, Rafael Macedo, and Mammadali Hajiyev. However, his path to the gold medal match was blocked once again by Japan’s Sanshiro Murao. L’Équipe reported that Murao, who finished as the 2024 Olympic silver medalist behind Georgia’s Lasha Bekauri, defeated the French contender in the semifinals before securing his second world crown in the -90kg division. Murao established an early advantage with a yuko score, forcing Ngayap-Hambou to chase the match. Reflecting on the semifinal, the French judoka acknowledged that his opponent performed better on the day.
Frustration Over Penalties in the Bout Against Boris Rutovic
Denied a spot in the final, Ngayap-Hambou dropped into the bronze medal match against Serbia’s Boris Rutovic. Rutovic had advanced to the podium contest after defeating Aleksa Mitrovic in the repechage. According to L’Équipe, Ngayap-Hambou expressed intense frustration following his defeat to Rutovic, which came via penalties after a tightly contested encounter. The Frenchman questioned the severity of the decisive third shido, explaining that it stemmed from a hand-positioning clash where both athletes dropped to their knees. Having previously faced Rutovic and lost to him for third place at the Mongolia Grand Slam in June, Ngayap-Hambou noted that he failed to impose his preferred rhythm and allowed his opponent to dictate the pace.
Looking Ahead to Upcoming Competitions After the World Championships
Despite securing victories over three of his 2024 Olympic opponents during the preliminary rounds—including a victory that saw him eliminate Georgia’s Lasha Bekauri in the round of 16—Ngayap-Hambou was left empty-handed in his fourth world championship appearance. L’Équipe reported that the French athlete intends to return immediately to training, with his sights set on the upcoming Masters tournament scheduled for December 18-20 in Tajikistan, where he aims to capture a top-tier international medal.
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