Yuri Shimizu claims second world title for Japan in one day

The world titles for women at the third day of the Cadet World Championships both went to Japan. Yuri Shimizu of Japan was another unseeded unknown who captured the highest stage on the podium.

Shimizu is an uchi-mata specialist but has struggled to make it score in Zagreb, winning in the early rounds by penalties before throwing Jaspe and scoring at last with her favourite technique. In the semi-final she made it work again to push Darkhanbatbayar (MGL) into a bronze medal contest.

The final between Shimizu and Camara, Brazil and Japan being traditional rivals for decades on the elite circuit, was a close, nail-biting affair, the Brazilian making herself felt in ne-waza while the biggest tachi-waza moments were Japanese. Her uchi-mata and osoto-gari attacks looked to be getting stronger and stronger and more difficult for Camara to defend. At half-time one did trip the Brazilian, after a change of grip to a makikomi style gave Shimuzu the edge.

From that point on Camara had no choice but to come forward and that gave Shimizu the momentum to drop under with a very low tai-otoshi for ippon. Today the golds in both women’s categories go to Japan. Brazil and Taipei earn silvers.

On the bottom half of the draw, Choco (COL) was the favourite but she couldn’t make it to the final block, beaten by Kuchar (LTU) in round 3. Impressively, Kuchar then also beat Carpio Fernandez (ESP), the 7th seed, having no notable ranking herself. She lost to Camara (BRA) in the semi-final but found her winning ways again in the bronze medal contest, throwing and holding Emily Jaspe for the maximum score and the medal. The Lithuanian looked shocked by her achievement but that shock soon became joy.

Saparboeva of Uzbekistan had also had a great day until meeting the Brazilian in the quarter-final. She then beat the Spanish judoka in the repechage before going into battle against the Mongolian for bronze.

In the all-Asian podium decider, it was the Uzbek who chose to give the most and she attacked more, attacked better and followed every action to its end. She won the medal and can go home a world medallist for the first time.