Daiki Kamikawa and Mika Sugimoto led Japan to two golds in the men’s and women’s open classes on the final day of the world judo championships yesterday for a total of 10.
Kamikawa stopped Teddy Riner’s attempt at a history-making fifth gold medal, narrowly beating the Frenchman by a 2-1 split decision after a scoreless regulation and extra time in the men’s final.
Japan also won the two bronze medals, with Keiji Suzuki and Hiroaki Tachiyama defeating Ramziddin Saydov and Abdullo Tangriev — both from Uzbekistan — respectively in the playoffs.
Riner won the men’s over-100kg class at three successive championships and was hoping to retain the unlimited open-class title he won in 2008 in France for a record fifth world championship gold.
Sugimoto, who won the over 78kg title on the opening day on Thursday, made it a double when she defeated Qin Qian of China to win the women’s final.
Compatriot Megumi Tachimoto beat Kim Na-young of South Korea to take bronze with Tea Donguzasvili of Russia beating France’s Celine Lebrun in the other playoff.
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