Arai wins second straight world judo silver; Ikeda takes bronze
In short
Dota Arai (新井道大) won silver in the men's 100kg category at the world judo championships in Baku on October 9. Kurena Ikeda (池田紅) took bronze in the women's 78kg category, with both repeating their medal results from last year.
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Japan's Dota Arai (新井道大) took silver in the men's 100kg category on the sixth day of the world judo championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, on October 9. Kurena Ikeda (池田紅) earned bronze in the women's 78kg category. Both repeated their medal results from the previous year, according to Sankei Shimbun and Nikkei. Arai competed for Tokai University, while Ikeda represented Komatsu. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
Arai reached the final after an ippon victory in the semifinal against Russia's 2023 world champion, Sankei and Nikkei reported. He then lost in extra time to the Georgian judoka who had won silver at the Paris Olympics. Yomiuri Shimbun reported that both finalists fell during a leg technique in extra time. An initial display awarding Arai a waza-ari was reversed after video review, with his opponent awarded a yuko instead. The outlet reported that Arai accepted the result, saying his opponent had been stronger and he had been weaker. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
Ikeda lost her quarterfinal to a French opponent, according to Sankei and Nikkei. She then won the repechage and the bronze-medal contest, securing bronze for the second consecutive year. Yomiuri also reported her two wins after the quarterfinal defeat. Sankei and Nikkei reported that a competitor representing the United Arab Emirates won the women's category. NHK's report highlighted Arai's silver and Ikeda's bronze on the sixth day of the championships in Azerbaijan. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 6 ]
Why it matters
Arai finished second at a second consecutive world championship. Ikeda recovered from a quarterfinal defeat to secure another bronze medal.
Key facts
- Arai won silver in the men's 100kg category. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 ]
- Ikeda won bronze in the women's 78kg category. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 ]
- The competition took place in Baku on October 9, the championships' sixth day. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Arai lost the final in extra time to Georgia's Paris Olympic silver medallist. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Ikeda won the repechage and bronze-medal contests after losing her quarterfinal. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- A video review reversed an initial score in Arai's favour into a score for his opponent. Only Yomiuri provides this account of the decisive exchange.
- Both Arai and Ikeda repeated their medal results from last year. Reported by a single source so far