Clarisse Agbegnenou claims her third world title

Another world title for Clarisse Agbegnenou of France after she defeated MIku Tashiro of Japan in the final. She retains her world title and she showed France the way to more success this week

.Both finalist Clarisse Agbegnenou and Miku Tashiro had the intention to throw with power. The World Ranking leader and current World Champion defeated Tashiro six times in her career. The determination to prolong the title was visible and she dragged Tashiro over the mat but couldn’t express it in a score. The fight for the first catch of the sleeve is key at this top level. The dominance of the grip of the French could lead to a scenario how Agbegnenou finished her semi final, and Tashiro knew. Tashiro tried to counter the attacks from the French. Tashiro won world bronze in Chelyabinsk in 2014 and Astana in 2015 and stepped up to silver this time but with so much more experience so now approached Agbegnenou in this final. The match led to golden score and after fifty seconds Agbegnenou won the gold via a terrific maki-komi after the hand of Agbegnenou came free and she was able to win her third world title in 2014, 2017 and 2018.

In the first bronze medal bout Maylin Del Toro Carvajal fought Tina Trstenjak who’s goal was to win a medal, not particularly a colour. Of course she wanted to regain her world title, but she lost her semi final and had to get past of Del Toro Carvajal. In the last minute it was the experienced former world champion who claimed her bronze medal after an oseikomi against the Cuban who fought hard for a medal.

Juul Franssen took the first medal for the Netherlands, one more after the whole tournament last year in Budapest. Franssen looked sharp whole day but also Martyna Trajdos was in a good shape. Both had never met before and Franssen looked for the solution te waza, Trajdos ne waza, but in fact both were equal and both were penalized. In the golden score it took almost two minutes before Franssen took over an attack by Trajdos and took a wazari and the bronze medal. A first success for the Netherlands since two years at World Championships.

In the semi final Clarisse Agbegnenou defeated Martyna Trajdos in a smashing way. The power fighter had a super start against Trajdos who also had a super day in Baku. But Agbegnenou simply surprised Trajdos twice with such a hard o-uchi-gari. The superb momentum to strike for Agbegnenou. The fastest semi final so far in the tournament as after 30 seconds it was over with two scores.

Miku Tashiro scored with a her textbook left uchimata in the third minute against Tina Trstenjak in the second semi final and the pressure was totally on the side of the Olympic Champion. Trstenjak fought hard in the last minute to make the equalizer but she failed and Tashiro progressed into the final.

Del Toro Carvajal launched a huge throw against Katharina Haecker who finished seventh today ad the Cuban kept chances for bronze.

Juul Franssen defeated Kathrin Unterwurzacher for the seventh time, an absolute nemesis for the Austrian who finished seventh.