The final day of the judo tournament was nothing short of magical, with powerhouse teams France and Japan gearing up for an epic showdown. While Team Judo Final will be a France vs Japan faceoff, the path to the finals, was packed with unpredictable and fiercely contested matches that kept fans on the edge of their seats.
The day kicked off with the round of 32, where Spain swiftly crushed the Refugee Team 4-0. Meanwhile, Israel faced a tough battle against Mongolia, clinching the first three wins before Mongolia rallied to tie the match at 3-3. In a nail-biting final match, Muki redeemed himself, securing Israel’s advancement to meet France in the round of 16.
Next up, Italy clashed with Hungary. Pirelli threw Veg for an early waza-ari, and Toniolo secured an ippon after an intense 7-minute battle. Despite Hungary's comeback efforts, Italy emerged victorious with a 4-1 win.
In the round of 16, the Netherlands faced off against Serbia. Kukolj's decisive win over Michael Korrel led Serbia to a 4-2 victory. Japan, on a redemption mission, faced Spain with a strong lineup. Abe triumphed over Toro Soler with a last-second throw, Takaichi won in ne-waza, and after a fierce fight from Mosakhlishvili, Japan claimed a 4-3 victory after a golden score rematch.
France's bout against Israel saw Cysqiue throwing Nelson Levy for ippon, and Gaba outlasting Butbul in an 8-minute marathon. Gahie quickly dispatched Sharir, and Ngayap-Hambou sealed the win by throwing Muki twice, leading France to a 4-0 victory.
Germany dominated Austria with a 4-0 win, thanks to stellar performances from Starke, Butkereit, and Trippel. Kazakhstan faced Brazil in a closely contested match where Silva and Souza led Brazil to a narrow 4-3 victory, with Goncalves clinching the win.
Korea swiftly took a 3-0 lead against Turkey, but Zgank's ippon gave Turkey a glimmer of hope. Kim's victory over Ozdemir, however, confirmed Korea’s 4-1 win.
In a dramatic encounter, Georgia faced Italy. Liparteliani's quick ippon against Giuffrida was followed by a Lombardo victory. Polling and Bekauri also secured wins, but a disqualification of Somkhishvili for aggressive gripping led to a 3-3 tie. Lombardo triumphed in the deciding rematch, sending Italy to the quarter-final.
Uzbekistan dominated Canada, with Aminova and Yuldoshev securing their matches, followed by strong performances from Matniyazova and Bobonov, culminating in a 4-0 victory.
With these intense preliminary rounds, the stage is set for an electrifying final team event between
France and Japan, promising a thrilling conclusion to the judo tournament. Don't miss out on this epic battle for gold!