Bhubaneswar: Japan’s remarkable run at the Junior World Judo Championships continued as Haru Akita claimed the nation’s fifth gold medal, winning the fiercely contested -81 kg final in dramatic fashion.
Facing Akita showed tremendous composure and tactical brilliance. Turluev appeared to have scored early with a seoi-otoshi, but after a video review, the point was annulled. The match then stretched into golden score, where Akita capitalized on a small opening to execute a ko-soto-gari, earning the decisive yuko that sealed his victory.
The bronze medals were shared by Mihajlo Simin of Serbia, who overcame teammate Dusan Grahovac with a perfectly timed sumi-gaeshi, and Samariddin Muxibiddinov of Uzbekistan, who edged Joshua De Lange of the Netherlands in another golden-score thriller.
Akita’s win not only showcased his exceptional technique and mental toughness but also solidified Japan’s dominance in the championships, with the nation now leading the medal table thanks to his gold.
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