Kim Minjong Ends Korea’s 39-Year wait for heavyweight World Title

In a stunning display of skill and strategy, 23-year-old Kim Minjong from Korea claimed the heavyweight title on the final day of the World Judo Championships in Abu Dhabi. This victory marks the first time since 1985 that the heavyweight title has returned to Korea, when Cho Young Chul won in Seoul. Kim's triumph fills the gap left by last year’s champions Teddy Riner (FRA) and Inal Tasoev (AIN), securing his place among the judo elite.

Kim Minjong's final match was a tactical masterclass against Georgian finalist Guram Tushishvili. From the first "hajime," Kim outgripped Tushishvili, forcing the Georgian into three crucial mistakes. Tushishvili was penalized twice in the first two minutes for a false attack and illegal grip breaking. After several strong attacks from Kim, Tushishvili, feeling the pressure, attempted a desperate attack from a poor position. Kim deftly sidestepped him, transitioning into yoko-shiho-gatame and holding him down for 20 seconds to score ippon. This victory not only earned Kim his first world title but also made him the second Korean heavyweight world champion in history.

Bronze Medal Contests

The first bronze medal match featured Bashaev (AIN) against Rakhimov. Bashaev ended Rakhimov’s hopes of a first world medal with a powerful seoi-nage, scoring ippon. He then faced Lukas Krpalek (CZE) for the bronze. Despite a strong ground game from Krpalek, Bashaev's uchi-mata attack scored waza-ari with 40 seconds remaining, securing his second world medal, following his silver in 2021.

The second bronze medal match saw Granda (CUB) against Yusupov (UZB). Yusupov quickly settled the contest, throwing Granda with yoko-guruma for waza-ari and then pinning him with yoko-shiho-gatame for another waza-ari. This victory earned Yusupov his second consecutive world bronze medal and the second medal for Uzbekistan at the event.

Road to the Finals

In Pool A, 2023 world bronze medallist Alisher Yusupov (UZB), seeded eighth, advanced to the semi-finals by defeating Azamat Chotchaev (BRN) and Losseni Kone (GER) with kuzure-kami-shiho-gatame and yoko-shiho-gatame, respectively. Yusupov then faced Rakhimov in the quarter-final, defeating him with uki-waza followed by another yoko-shiho-gatame hold.

Pool B saw an epic quarter-final clash between Olympic medallists Guram Tushishvili and Tamerlan Bashaev. Tushishvili defeated Mohammed El Mehdi Lili (ALG) and Ibrahim Tataroglu (TUR) with ease, while Bashaev overcame Karl Priilinn Turk (EST) and Kacper Szczurowski (POL) with ippon throws. The quarter-final was decided by Tushishvili's quick uchi-mata, scoring waza-ari 16 seconds in. Despite continuous attacks from both, Bashaev couldn't respond effectively, allowing Tushishvili to advance.

In the semi-final, Tushishvili and Yusupov delivered a high-energy match. Yusupov scored first with ko-soto-gake, but Tushishvili quickly leveled with soto-makikomi. A counter from Tushishvili gave him the second waza-ari, securing his place in the final.

Pool C featured former world champions Lukas Krpalek and Andy Granda. Krpalek advanced to the quarter-finals after his round two opponent withdrew due to injury and he used tate-shiho-gatame to defeat Vito Dragic (SLO). Granda, meanwhile, secured tactical victories over Bubacar Mane (GBS) and Magomedomar Magomedomarov (UAE). Krpalek used tani-otoshi to defeat Granda in the final minute, moving into his sixth world championship semi-final.

In Pool D, 2022 world bronze medallist Kim Minjong dominated the preliminaries, defeating Yevheniy Balyevskyy (UKR) and Jur Spijkers (NED) with tactical superiority and powerful throws. Kim then dispatched Marius Fizel (SVK) with a lethal o-soto-otoshi to ko-soto-gari combination in the quarter-final.

Krpalek had a 2-1 head-to-head lead over Kim prior to the semi-final, but Kim leveled the score by throwing the Czech legend with tani-otoshi in the golden score period, booking his place in the final.

In the final, Kim Minjong's tactical prowess and strategic execution against Tushishvili were evident. Outgripping and outmaneuvering his opponent, Kim demonstrated why he is a fixture on the IJF World Judo Tour and now a world champion.

Kim Minjong's victory at the World Judo Championships in Abu Dhabi signifies a new era for Korean judo, ending a 39-year wait for a heavyweight title. His exceptional performance, combined with the intense competition throughout the event, highlighted the skill and determination of judo athletes worldwide. As the judo community looks forward to the upcoming Olympics, Kim Minjong’s triumph adds another thrilling chapter to the sport's rich history.