Switzerland's Nils Stump captured the men's under-73kg title in Doha ©Getty Images

Nils Stump became the first Swiss judoka to clinch gold at the World Judo Championships after capturing the men’s under-73 kilogram crown here, while Canada’s Christa Deguchi clinched the women’s under-57kg title for the second time.

Switzerland had twice come close to gold with Eric Born and Sergei Aschwanden claiming silvers in 1993 and 2003 respectively, before Stump etched his name in his country’s history books by topping the podium at the Ali Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah Arena in Qatari capital Doha.

Stump had never previously won a medal at the World Championships but has been in sensational form having bagged International Judo Federation Grand Slam titles in October and February.

The Swiss star stunned Japan’s Soichi Hashimoto on his way to the final where he got the better of Italy’s Manuel Lombardo.

The Italian survived several attacks from Stump before the bout went into golden score where the pair picked up a shido each.

Italy’s Manuel Lombardo received a third shido after landing on his head following a throw in golden score ©Getty Images
Italy’s Manuel Lombardo received a third shido after landing on his head following a throw in golden score ©Getty Images

Another shido put Lombardo on the back foot before he thought he had won it when throwing a seo nage.

A video review showed Stump had gone down on his shoulder, while Lombardo had landed on his head, resulting in a third shido to hand the Swiss judoka victory.

Uzbekistan's Murodjon Yuldoshev beat Canada's Arthur Margelidon for the first time to seal bronze.

The other place on the podium was filled by Hashimoto who bounced back from his defeat to Stump to add another medal to his collection.

Hashimoto made an immediate impression, scoring a waza-ari with a brilliant throw in the opening minute before finishing off Azerbaijan’s Hidayat Heydarov with another waza-ari in the final 80 seconds.

Canada’s Christa Deguchi became a two-time world champion after winning the women's under-57kg title, adding to her 2019 crown ©Getty Images
Canada’s Christa Deguchi became a two-time world champion after winning the women's under-57kg title, adding to her 2019 crown ©Getty Images

Japan came away with at least one gold from the first two days but hopes of extending that record were ended when Haruka Funakubo lost to Deguchi in the women’s under-57kg final.

Deguchi was on fire as she took the lead with an ouchi gari before sealing victory with over two minutes to go when she landed a seoi otoshi for an ippon.

It is Deguchi's second world title having come out on top in 2019.

Canada’s second medal of the day came courtesy of Jessica Klimkait who bagged bronze with victory over Turkey's Hasret Bozkurt.

The Turkish judoka had toppled reigning Olympic champion Nora Gjakova of Kosovo and defending world champion Rafaela Silva of Brazil but was well beaten by Klimkait in the bronze-medal bout.

The other bronze medal went to Mongolia's Enkhriilen Lkhagvatogoo who overcame South Korea’s Huh Mi-mi.

Competition is due to continue tomorrow with the men’s under-81kg and women’s under-63kg categories set to be contested.