At the 2026 World Judo Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, Italian competitors Giovanni Esposito and Leonardo Valeriani both advanced to the quarterfinals in the men’s -73 kg category, ultimately finishing in seventh place after contesting the repechage rounds.
How did Giovanni Esposito defeat Olympic champion Hidayat Heydarov in Baku?
The standout sequence for the Italian team occurred in the round of 16, where Giovanni Esposito faced local favorite and reigning Olympic champion Hidayat Heydarov. Esposito maintained an aggressive yet disciplined tactical approach to neutralize the pressure from the Azerbaijani competitor. As the bout progressed into the final stages, Heydarov accumulated a third penalty for a false attack, triggering an automatic disqualification via hansoku make that handed Esposito a spot in the quarterfinals.
What stopped Esposito and Valeriani from reaching the podium?
Both Italian athletes reached the quarterfinal stage, a milestone that guaranteed them entry into the repechage bracket for a shot at the bronze medal matches. However, both competitors dropped their subsequent bouts and finished the tournament in seventh place, leaving the Italian delegation without a medal in the -73 kg division for the day.
Where do Esposito and Valeriani rank among international judokas?
Prior to the Baku tournament, Giovanni Esposito held the No. 10 spot in the international -73 kg rankings. The performance at the world championships reaffirms their standing among the top contenders in the division, building on earlier circuit results that included Esposito’s gold medal performance at the Zagreb Grand Prix and a fourth-place finish at the Budapest Grand Slam.
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