The second day of the 2022 IBSA Judo World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, was concluded with the individual competitions for the heavy weight categories for men and women.

Brazil and France, each with two world champions, took half of the gold from the pot that was saved for the last day.

In the first final, women’s J1 -70 kg, Mongolian Turuunaa Lkhaijav was defeated by the Turkish Esmer Taskin by ippon.

The next gold medal match brought a well-known judoka from the family to the mat: the Frenchman Cyril Jonard, who is blind and deaf and is 46 years old, won the world title in the J1 -90kg category against the British Daniel Powell. It was one of the most emotional moments of the competition. Before the end of the fight but after the ippon, Cyril just jumped over the tatami like it was a swimming pool, in an early celebration of the achievement. In the same category, both bronze medals were Brazilian.

The Brazilian Alana Maldonado (J2 -70kg), World and Paralympic champion, suffered to take the best out of the Turkish Raziye Ulucam. It was only three minutes and 10 seconds of the golden score period that brought the ippon, which confirmed her second world title in a row. Alana’s judo was incredible, and she has high hopes for Paris 2024.

Helios Latchoumanaya of France was the next known world champion.The final was against Georgian Zviad Gogotchuri, and it was the second time the Heydar Aliyev Arena heard “La Marseillaise,” the French national anthem.

The Brazilian Wilians Araújo’s victory was also very emotional. He fought against Ilham Zakiyev, from Azerbaijan – at home – and there were some tears in the end from all of the missions. In fact, there was a simple reason for the ‘samba’ in the room: the World Championship in Baku is the best parajudo competition ever in terms of results. Check the medal list: two gold medals, two silver medals, and six bronze medals. No other country, from the 41 participating in the tournament, did it better.

A surprise also arrived from the Italian squad. After Dong Dong Camanni conquered the bronze medal in J1 -73kg category in Day 1, Matilde Lauria got another bronze in J1 -70kg and Carolina Costa took the best from the Cuban Sheyla Hernandez in the J2 -70kg final winning the gold.

The last final was a combat between two Iranians, so the gold was always going to Teharan either way. Vahid Nouri was the winner, beating his countryman Mohammadreza Kheirollahzadeh.

Check the results of the day:

Men
J1 -90kg
1st – Cyril Jonard (FRA)
2nd – Daniel Powell (GBR)
3rd – Arthur da Silva (BRA)
3rd – António Silva (BRA)

J1 +90kg
1st – Wilians Araújo (BRA)
2nd – Ilham Zakiyev (AZE)
3rd – Jason Grandry (FRA)
3rd – Onur Tastan (TUR)

J2 -90kg
1st – Helios Latchoumanaya (FRA)
2nd – Zviad Gogotchuri (GEO)
3rd – Zhanbota Amanzhol (KAZ)
3rd – Oleksandr Nazarenko (UKR)

J2 +90kg
1st – Vahid Nouri (IRI)
2nd – Mohammadreza Kheirollahzadeh (IRI)
3rd – Ibrahim Bolukbasi (TUR)
3rd – Aloviddin Jurakulov (UZB)

Women
J1 -70kg
1st – Esmer Taskin (TUR)
2nd – Turuunaa Lkhaijav (MGL)
3rd – Matilde Lauria (ITA)
3rd – Brenda Freitas (BRA)

J1 +70kg
1st – Anastasiia Harnyk (UKR)
2nd – Erika Zoaga (BRA)
3rd – Nazan Gunes (TUR)
3rd – Danitza Sanabria (VEN)

J2 -70kg
1st – Alana Maldonado (BRA)
2nd – Raziye Ulucam (TUR)
3rd – Khanim Huseinova (AZE)
3rd – Ina Kaldani (GEO)

J2 +70kg
1st – Carolina Costa (ITA)
2nd – Sheyla Hernandez (VEN)
3rd – Meg Emmerich (BRA)
3rd – Rebeca Silva (BRA)

The World Championships close this Thursday, with the men’s and women’s teams competition starting at 7 am CET (10 am local time). Follow all the action in the live stream on the IBSA YouTube channel.