Shirine Boukli Claims World Bronze in Baku After Quarterfinal Exit
French judoka Shirine Boukli secured the bronze medal in the women’s -48kg category at the World Judo Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, recovering from a quarterfinal defeat to finish on the podium on October 4, 2026. After losing to Russia’s Marina Vorobeva, Boukli fought back through the repechage to defeat Brazil’s Clarice Ribeiro and subsequently beat Mongolia’s Baasankhuu Bavuudorj in the golden score period to take her second career world medal.
Quarterfinal Defeat and Presidential Rebuke
Boukli entered the tournament chasing her first career world title after earning silver at the 2023 World Championships and bronze at the Paris Olympic Games, describing the gold as a childhood dream in pre-event interviews reported by lefigaro.fr. That ambition stalled in the quarterfinals when she faced Marina Vorobeva. According to sport-pulse.com, Boukli picked up a third penalty for a false attack, mirroring her opponent’s two prior warnings before elimination. The setback triggered a sharp response from France Judo president Stéphane Nomis. Speaking to RMC in remarks cited by lefigaro.fr, Nomis stated that the 27-year-old athlete had no right to lose a match against an opponent within her reach at a world championship.
Boukli Wins Bronze After Repechage Recovery
Relegated to the repechage bracket, Boukli redirected her tournament trajectory. She first overcame Brazil’s Clarice Ribeiro with a decisive waza-ari, as detailed by flashscore.fr. That win advanced her to the bronze-medal match against Baasankhuu Bavuudorj of Mongolia, the 2024 Olympic silver medalist. The bout extended into a tense golden score period, where Boukli clinched the victory when the Mongolian competitor received her third penalty, sealing the French fighter’s place on the third step of the podium, sport-pulse.com reported.
Contrasting Fortunes for the French Delegation
Boukli’s podium finish provided the sole bright spot for the French team on the opening day of competition in Baku. Mkheidze contested the decision afterward, telling sport-pulse.com that while he accepts fair defeats, he disagreed with the final sanction. Fellow Frenchman Romain Valadier-Picard finished seventh in the same weight class, falling by ippon in the repechage to Georgia’s Giorgi Sardalashvili after a quarterfinal loss to Kazakhstan’s Sherzod Davlatov.
World Judo Championships Continue Through October 11
The individual events at the World Judo Championships in Baku continue through Saturday, October 10, 2026, featuring the -66kg and -52kg categories on Monday, October 5. The competition concludes with the mixed team event on Sunday, October 11.
