Japan's Ami Kondo and Mongolia's Boldbaatar Ganbat took advantage of the demise of more highly regarded rivals slipping up in the early rounds to claim the lightweight titles, the women's under 48-kilogram and men's under 60kg categories respectively.

Kondo, 19, stole the show with a series of dazzling performances as she showed maturity beyond her years in disposing of more experienced opponents.

No more so was this in evidence than the final where she overwhelmed Argentina's 2008 Olympic bronze medallist Paula Pareto, almost 10 years her senior.

In winning the title she made up for the disappointment at last year's World Championships in Rio de Janeiro, when Japan failed to take the gold, with it going instead to Mongolia's Mönkhbatyn Urantsetseg, who was knocked out in the qualifying rounds here. 

In the final, Kondo and Pareto could be separated only by shido penalties.

Pareto, always struggling against the industry of her teenage opponent, was penalised twice for passivity, while the Japanese fighter had an unblemished record.

As she stepped off the tatami, Kondo put her head in her hands and had a beaming smile as she jumped into the arms of her coach.

Japan's women's under 48kg champion Ami Kondo (second left) joins her fellow medallists, including Argentina's Paula Pareto (far left), who she beat in the final, in celebrating their success at the World Judo Championships in Chelyabinsk ©IJF

"I am very glad with the result and my performance," said Kondo, whose victory will mark her out as one of Japan's main hopes for an Olympic gold medal at Tokyo 2020. 

"I can't explain how happy I am.

"All the Arena was watching me and gave great support.

"I am just one Japanese woman in that weight category.

"That is why I was nervous.

"Despite everything I won - and it is great."

Pareto had revealed, following the morning rounds, that she had fought in a borrowed suit. 

"I haven't got my uniform and used another one," she said.

"It was little bit tight and that was uncomfortable and difficult to fight.

"I am not absolutely happy with my silver but honestly it is not bad to win the second place on the world."

Another emerging teenage star, Frenchwoman Amandine Buchard, who is also 19, had beaten Brazil's Olympic champion Sarah Menezes in her first contest and went on to win the bronze medal, having lost in the semi-final to Pareto.

She beat Russia's Alesya Kuznetsova in the bronze medal playoff. 

Cuban Maria Celia Laborde took the other bronze medal, beating compatriot Dayaris Mestre Álvarez. 

Mongolia's Boldbaatar Ganbat triumphed in the final of the men's under 60kg over Russian favourite Beslan Mudranov ©IJF

Mongolia may not have retained the women's title but they were more than compensated in the men's event, thanks to Ganbat. 

Japan's defending champion Naohisa Takato was one of the hottest favourites at these Championships having been unbeaten since 2012 but fell to a shock defeat in the semi-final to Russia's Beslan Mudranov.

The home fighter, roared on by a knowledgeable crowd, scored a yuko with ashi-waza before Takato, whose face is on billboards promoting the event throughout the city, levelled with the same score.

Takato was penalised with a shido for stepping out of the area and that proved the deciding act of the contest as Mudranov pulled off a result which had the Russian fans singing his name.

Perhaps the effort of that victory drained Mudranov because he was unable to add the world title to the European Championship gold he had won here two years ago.

The 27-year-old Ganbat, who had beaten Georgia's Amiran Papinashvili in his semi-final, won a final, in which it was clear both fighters were nervous at being so close to claiming such an important prize, on shido penalties with three against Mudranov and two against him.

Ganbat, winner of the Grand Prix in Ulaanbaatar and Grand Slam in Paris earlier this year, becomes his country's first male world champion.

"That was one of my hardest fights and I am really exhausted," he said.

"My next step is Olympic Games [in Rio in 2016]."

The first bronze medal was won by Papinashvili, who defeated former European Championships bronze medallist Artiom Arshansky of Israel.

The second bronze medal was won by Takato, who beat surprise package Aibek Imashev of Kazakhstan.

Takato later complained he had lost a tooth in one of his opening fights when his opponent kicked him.

But he admitted it did not affect his performance.

"I am not happy with the semi-final but would like to mention that it was honest fight and it is my fault that I lost it," he said.

A silver medal for Russia, though, was an encouraging start to a Championships which have captured the imagination of the public here. 

A live Siberian tiger played a central role in the Opening Ceremony of the World Judo Championships before....

he turned into the Championships mascot Zhorik, complete with his own judo suit 
©World Judo Championships 2014 Chelyabinsk

The hosts have draped the whole of the city - based in the Southern Urals in the gateway to Siberia and with a population of over a million - in the colours of the Championships.

The 7,000 capacity stadium, usually home to local ice hockey team Traktor Chelyabinsk, was virtually sold out for an Opening Ceremony described by International Judo Federation (IJF) President Marius Vizer as "the best ever for a judo championships".

As well as the Siberian tiger, which morphed into Championships mascot Zhorik, a more cuddly version of the giant beast which stalks the mountains in this region, it also featured dancing, singing, acrobatics, cheerleaders and break-dancers, as well as a nod towards the Chelyabinsk meteor, which had brought the city worldwide headlines last year. 

"It was a very good first day of competition," said Vladimir Barta, the IJF's head sports director.  

"The Russian audience understand judo and that is really positive."

Watch the latest action on Judo TV here.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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