Manuel Parlati and Antonio Esposito exited the 2026 World Judo Championships at the round of 16 in the men’s -81 kg division, bringing a medal-less day four for the Italian team at the National Gymnastics Arena in Baku.
Elimination at the round of 16 in Baku
The Italian campaign in the -81 kg category came to a halt during the afternoon session in Azerbaijan. Parlati, the reigning under-23 European champion, advanced through the early elimination rounds by defeating Moldova’s Petru Pelivan and Canada’s François Gauthier-Drapeau, who entered the tournament as the world number two and top seed in Baku. Both victories came via waza-ari within regulation time.
The 22-year-old Italian subsequently faced Slovenia’s Nace Herkovic. Herkovic secured an ippon victory at 2 minutes and 20 seconds, throwing Parlati to the mat on his back to end the run.
Antonio Esposito falls in the golden score
Antonio Esposito matched his teammate’s round-of-16 exit in the same weight class. He reached the round by defeating Puerto Rico’s Adrian Gandia and Ukraine’s Mykhailo Svidrak in his opening bouts.
In the round of 16, Esposito met South Korea’s Lee Joonhwan, who had previously eliminated Japan’s Yuhei Oino. The bout extended into golden score, where Esposito was eliminated following an accumulation of penalties.
Ranking implications for the Los Angeles 2028 cycle
Despite missing the podium on day four in Baku, both Italian judoka collected ranking points to aid their standing on the international circuit. The results contribute to their accumulation as the long qualification cycle continues toward the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
Frequently asked questions about the tournament
Where are the 2026 World Judo Championships taking place?
The tournament is being held at the National Gymnastics Arena in Baku, Azerbaijan, serving as a central fixture of the international judo season.
Who did Manuel Parlati defeat before his exit?
Parlati defeated Moldova’s Petru Pelivan and Canada’s François Gauthier-Drapeau during the preliminary rounds before losing to Slovenia’s Nace Herkovic.
How was Antonio Esposito eliminated?
Esposito lost to South Korea’s Lee Joonhwan during the golden score period of their round-of-16 match due to an accumulation of penalties.
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