It was interrupted only by a blast of laïkó as Greece's Ilias Iliadis celebrated the tenth anniversary of his Olympic gold medal as a teenager at Athens 2004 by winning his third world title. 

For 28-year-old Alevar, it was also her third title and her second in a row, having won at Rotterdam at 2009 and in Rio de Janeiro last year.

But, with her form patchy coming into this event, some had written off the chances of Alevar completing her hat-trick.

How wrong they were as she fought her way to the final, beating The Netherlands world ranked number one Kim Polling in the semi-final.

In the final, Alevar defeated Japan's Karen Nunira by ippon from a ko-uchi-gake after just 61 seconds. 

Colombia's Yuri Alvear claimed her third world title with victory over Japan's Karen Nunira in the under-70kg category ©IJF

"I am world champion again, for the third time. I am so happy," aid Alevar, an Olympic bronze medallist at London 2012.

"I know what it takes to be here on the top of the podium.

"I know how hard all the athletes are training and everybody would want to be at my best.

"I was feeling so well all day long and my judo was really strong."

The first bronze medal was won by Cuba's Onix Cortes Aldama, who defeated Croatia's Barbara Matic, the world junior champion, with uchi-mata for an ippon.

The second bronze went to Poland's Katarzyna Klys, who compounded Polling's disappointment, taking the lead with a yuko before scoring waza-ari with a ko-uchi-gari to send the Dutchwoman home without a medal.

Aguiar, 23, made the step up to the top of the podium having won World Championships silver at the 2010 World Championships in Tokyo and bronze at Paris 2011 and Rio de Janeiro last year, as well as an Olympic bronze at London 2012. 

She defeated France's Audrey Tcheumeo, the 2010 world champion, in the final to complete a remarkable comeback to the sport having only returned to international competition last month having been out for nearly a year with the knee injury which has plagued her throughout her career. 

At the end of the final, in which she had opened the scoring with a waza-ari from a low uchi-mata., Aguiar leapt into the arms of coach Rosicleia Campos, who had been ordered from the technical area by the referee during the semi-final against America's Olympic champion Kayla Harrison for her over-enthusiastic support. 

Harrison, also coming back from injury, had the consolation of winning one of the bronze medals, beating Yahima Ramirez after the Portuguese was penalised with a shido in a scoreless contest.

The second bronze went to Anamari Velensek, the Slovenian who scored a yuko to defeat North Korea's Kyong Sol, who was unable to recapture the form she had shown in Rio de Janeiro a year ago when she became the most surprise of world champions. 

"It's only my fifth tournament this year, so being on the podium is a very good result if I look back but I came here to win and only the victory interests me, so I am obviously disappointed," said Harrison.

"Now my objective is Rio 2016 and being able to repeat my London [2012] performance.

"Every night I dream of that."

Mayra Aguiar (second left) won her first World Championships gold medal and now has her sights set on Rio 2016 ©IJF

But standing between her and that goal will be Aguiar, who will line-up as one of Brazil's brightest hopes for a home gold medal, as long as she can steer clear of injury 

"It is wonderful," she said. 

"I had an operation eight months ago.

"It is so hard to come back and to continue to train when you don't know if you can really recover.

"You never know.

"But tonight, I am too happy because, obviously everything went well for me."

Iliadis has been at the top for so long, having been a mere 17 when he electrified Greece with his victory at the Olympics, but he is still only 27 and this victory has renewed his enthusiasm.

"Oh that's so good to win a third world title and to sit hear among the best athletes in the world," he said.

"I don't consider myself as the best of the best but today was my lucky day.

"Most of the favourites were defeated and I took my chance.

"Now I feel confident enough to run for another Olympics."

Greece's Ilias Iliadis won his third world title, 10 years after claiming Olympic gold ©IJF

In the final Iliadis defeated Hungary's Krisztian Toth, who was only 10 when the Greek had won the Olympic title.

Iliadis snatched the victory by ippon as he attacked with osoto-gari and wrapped his arm over the top of his opponents right shoulder for a soto-makikomi to claim a hat-trick of world titles, adding to the gold medals won at Tokyo in 2010 and Paris 2011.

Overall, it was his sixth World Championship medal, having also won silver at Cairo in 2005 and Rio de Janeiro 2007, as well as bronze in Rio last year.

"It's really a big surprise for me to be in the final and to be in the final with my idol, Ilias Iliadis," said Toth.

"He's a role model for me.

"I was probably not expected to medal at this level but it was my day and my dream came true."

The first bronze went to Georgia's Varlam Liparteliani, who had started the day as favourite, but to settle for a minor medal after throwing Uzbekistan's Sherali Juraev with tsurikomi-goshi for ippon

The second bronze medal was won by Russia's Kirill Voprosov after, much to the disappointment of another sell-out crowd, Chelyabinsk local son Kirill Denisov was unable to compete due to an injury.

Russia has now won a total of seven medals, the same as Japan, who top the overall medals table, but they are still awaiting their first gold. 

Watch the latest action on Judo TV here.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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