The 2022 World Judo Championships in Tashkent are calling it quits. At the end of the competitions, the focus was not on individual judoka but on the selections of the different federations in the group competition.

As at the World Championships last year, Japan won the last world title to be awarded, silver went to France. The German Judo Federation was also pleased with precious metal: Germany and Israel each won bronze. Thus, the four countries that also won medals at last year’s Summer Olympics in Tokyo were represented in the first places.

France’s Romane Dicko, who won gold in the singles the previous day, contributed to her country’s second place in the collective event by defeating Wakaba Tomita.

It was a close affair between France and Japan. Kenshi Harada put his colours 3:2 ahead in the comparison of judoka up to 73 kilograms.

The fight of the women up to 70 kilograms became a decisive duel: French Marie Eve Gahié was under pressure. The former world champion had to keep the upper hand against Saki Niizoe to avert Japan’s victory. But nothing came of it. Niizoe was stronger, secured the 4:2 and with it the world title for her country. The fact remains that since the introduction of the international comparison at the 2017 World Cup, Japan has always won gold. The big goal now is to confirm this success at the 2024 Olympic Games.

Laszlo Toth, President of the European Judo Federation and Vice President of the World Judo Federation, was responsible for the award ceremony.

“I knew I had an important task because I was the first fighter. But I managed to show my judo, you could see that on the mat,” said Goki Tajima.

And Saki Niizoe said: “Kenshi Harada gave me the task to get the last victory. I have lived up to the responsibility and I am very happy about it. “

Next World Cup to be held in Qatar

Uzbekistan federation president Azizyon Kamilov handed over the flag to the secretary general of the world federation, Jean-Luc Rougé, who then handed it over to Eid Ali Al-Muraikhi, the chairman of the Qatar Judo Federation. The Emirate will host the next World Championships in May 2023.