Paula Pareto celebrated her first world title beating Haruna Asami in the under 48 kilo class on the opening day of the World Judo Championships in
ADVERTISEMENT
Paula Pareto celebrated her first world title beating Haruna Asami in the under 48 kilo class on the opening day of the World Judo Championships in Astana Kazakhstan.
After a silver medal in 2014 the World number two finally made it to the top spot of the world podium.
The final was tight with Japanese Judoka and two time world champion Asami leading after a first shido penalty awarded against Pareto.
But the diminutive Argentine piled the pressure on and forced Asami into two penalties leaving Pareto with her maiden world gold medal.
Korea’s Jeong Bo-Kyeong and Japanese judoka Ami Kondo took the bronze medals.
Yeldos Smetov and Rustam Ibrayev handed the home nation a major boost by reaching the men’s under 60 kilo final.
After some thrilling battles in the rounds leading up to the showpiece match the final was not overly exciting or impressive between two judoka’s, who know each other very well.
Smetov was to eventually emerge victorious after holding a penalty point awarded against his compatriot safely to the end of the fight.
Smetov becomes the first Kazakh to win the world title since Maxim Rakov in 2009.
South Korean Kim Won Jin defeated World Champion Ganbat Boldbaatar for one of the bronze medals while Shishime Toru took the second bronze with victory over Felipe Kitadai, the Brazilian Olympic medallist in 2012.