Van T End channels Dutch judo history on Day 5 of World Championships
ADVERTISEMENTDay 5 of the 2019 Judo World Championships in Tokyo saw Dutch superman Noel Van T End beat two former World Champions on his route to the gold medal match.
It was clear that Van T End had set his sights on gold and could channel the history of the Dutch in the Nippon Budokan from the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
Van T End's opponent in the final was stylish Japanese Judoka Mukai Shochiro.
With only 30 seconds left on the clock and no score, Van T End pounced, attacking with a well-timed Osoto into Kosoto Gari combination, catching Mukai for a waza-ari and then seeing out the contest for the Win and World title. Making it exactly 10 years to the day the Netherlands won their last World Championship gold.
Mr Manuel Larranaga, Vice President of the International Judo Federation and President of the Panamerican Judo Confederation, presented Van T End with his medal.
“In my mind I had Anton Geesink, the Dutch guy who won in this stadium, he won Olympic Gold from the Japanese guy. I had this in my head - his spirit is with me. I got a lot of power out of that," Van T End said in an interview. "I knew i was going to fight a Japanese guy, I thought, here we go - I'm going to continue his streak.”
France goes for gold...
Today's other gold medal went to Marie Eve Gahie of France.
Facing Portugal’s Barbara Timo in the final. Gahie needed just 48 seconds to defeat Timo with an armlock and take her first ever World Championship title.
A brilliant piece of Judo and the smile on her face said it all.
She was awarded her medal by Mr Naser Al Tamemi, General Treasurer of the International Judo Federation.
Gahie followed in the footsteps of yesterdays French Champion Clarisse Agbegnenou.
‘She inspired me, it's like she's my big sister you know? I'm so, when I look at her doing judo, fighting, she's an inspiration, really," Gahie said after the final.
...And for bronze
The success continued for the French Team as they took a further two medals, moving themselves up the overall medal table to second, behind home nation Japan.
Margaux Pinot took her first World Medal winning bronze in the -70kg category.
And Axel Clerget that continued his form from the previous World Championships, taking his second World bronze at -90kg.
Two gold medals and two bronze medals in two days. France are looking at home in Japan.
Move of the Day
Our Move of the Day goes to World silver medallist Mukai Shoichiro for a roof shaking Kouchi Gake against Cuba's Ivan Felipe Silva Morales in the quarter final.