The spotlight returned to Baku for the second day of the World Judo Championships. His Excellency Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, attended the official opening, where International Judo Federation President Marius Vizer and Azerbaijan Judo Federation President Rashad Nabiyev addressed the crowd before a spectacular opening ceremony.
In the women’s -52kg category, fifth-ranked Ariane Toro Soler advanced to the final with poise and determination, setting up a showdown against Japan’s Uta Abe — an Olympic champion and five-time world titleholder. The final proved a tactical, hard-fought contest, but the Japanese legend prevailed, securing her sixth world championship crown and extending her unbeaten record at the Worlds.
OTP Group CEO Peter Csanyi presented the medals.
In the men’s -66kg division, Uta’s brother Hifumi Abe — a double Olympic champion and four-time world titleholder — pursued a fifth gold. He reached the final to face Spain’s David Garcia Torne, who was contesting his first world championship final after an impressive run through the preliminaries. Abe asserted his dominance decisively, delivering an enormous ippon that electrified the arena and clinched his fifth world title.
Olympic Council of Asia Vice President Otabek Umarov awarded the medals, capping another unforgettable day of competition in Baku.
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