Ariane Toro and David García Torné secured silver medals while Ayumi Leiva claimed a bronze on Monday during the World Judo Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, giving the Spanish delegation its first podium finishes of the tournament, as reported by Marca and Europa Press. Competing on the second day of the global competition, the Spanish judokas navigated demanding brackets before running into dominant Japanese opponents in the final rounds.
Silver and Bronze in the Under-52 Kilo Category
In the women’s -52kg division, Ariane Toro entered the tournament as the world number five, according to Europa Press. The Spanish judoka opened her campaign by defeating Bulgaria’s Gabriela Dimitrova and subsequently overcame Uzbekistan’s Sugdiyona Rafkatova. After defeating Mongolia’s Uranzaya Bayanmunkh, Toro faced Italy’s Odette Giuffrida—ranked second in the world—and secured a victory by ippon to reach the gold medal match.
In the final, Toro faced Japan’s Uta Abe, a five-time world champion and Olympic gold medalist at the Tokyo 2020 Games who also took silver at Paris 2024. Abe defeated the Spanish competitor in the golden score period after Toro accumulated three shidos, handing the Spaniard the silver medal. Teammate Ayumi Leiva, ranked third globally in the -52kg category, also reached the semifinal stage after defeating India’s Nungshithoi Chanu Leishangthem, Cameroon’s Marie Celine Baba Matia, and Hungary’s Roza Gyertyas. After falling to Uta Abe by ippon in the semifinals, Leiva rebounded in the bronze medal contest to defeat Mongolia’s Uranzaya Bayanmunkh by ippon, securing the bronze.
Men’s Under-66 Kilo Finalist David García Torné
David García Torné earned a silver medal in the men’s -66kg division after entering the competition as the eighth-ranked judoca in the world. García Torné advanced through the preliminary rounds by defeating Narmandakh Bayanmunkh of the United Arab Emirates, China’s Ziyang Xue, and Mongolia’s Baskhuu Yondonperenlei. He guaranteed himself a spot on the podium by overcoming Denis Vieru in the semifinal.
In the championship match, García Torné faced Hifumi Abe, brother of Uta Abe and a two-time Olympic champion from Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024. Hifumi Abe defeated the Spanish fighter by ippon to take the gold medal. Meanwhile, fellow Spanish competitor Adrián Nieto exited the tournament in the first round of the same -66kg division following a defeat against Serdar Rahimov of Turkmenistan.
Tournament Context and Next Steps in Baku
The second day of competition at the World Judo Championships in Baku established strong early standings for the Japanese and Spanish teams alike, highlighted by the performances of the Abe siblings against Spain’s top contenders. The championships continue through the week at the competition venue in Baku, with subsequent weight classes scheduled for upcoming sessions as international athletes compete for global ranking points and world titles.
