Kaori Matsumoto takes the world title U57kg for Japan

The world title in the women’s U57kg category is for Kaori Matsumoto. She regains her title of 2010. The Japanese Olympic champion lost last year in the first round but completely renewed herself last year and via six victories she won the gold medal. The final was a repetition of the 2012 Olympic final in London. Corina Caprioriu of Romania was the opponent again. The Romanian moved up one place compared to her best World Cup result in 2011 where she won bronze. On the other hand, Romania is still waiting for its first World title. Yesterday Andreea Chitu won silver as well for Romania U52kg.

Matsumoto won her second world title, in 2009 she finished fifth, in 2010 she won, in 2011 she won bronze and in 2012 the Olympic title. In this new qualification for Rio, this world title makes the difference. The key moment was the qualification for this championship at the All Japan Championships in April.

Today’s key was the final against Caprioriu who was steaming to take over the world title and become legendary as first Romanian World Champion. Still it’s a tremendous result for the Romanian women’s team coached by Florin Bercean. But in the final Caprioriu couldn’t prevent Matsumoto to score waza-ari after 90 seconds in the match with a footsweep.

Again a great success for Japan being spoiled anyway today with an all Japan final in the men’s U73kg class.

The bronze was for French Automne Pavia. She defeated Marti Malloy of the USA in the golden score in a tough fight. Pavia really showed herself in this fight while today wasn’t easy anyway. The quarter final against vice world champion Telma Monteiro was a battle but Pavia took Monteiro down for the fourth time in 6 bouts.

The second bronze was for Sumiya Dorjsuren of Mongolia who was in fact equal to Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard of Canada but the referee awarded a lethal penalty in the golden score giving Dorjsuren the bronze, the fourth World medal in the history of Mongolian women’s judo.

The podium was almost similar to the 2012 Olympic Games with bronze for Sumiya as exception.