Oct 9, 8:01 PM
Shift on the Tatami: UAE Secures Historic Judo World Title in Baku
Yelyzaveta Lytvynenko and Georgia's Ilia Sulamanidze claim top honors as traditional powerhouses falter in Azerbaijan.
A high-stakes day at the World Judo Championships in Baku delivered landmark victories and crushed long-held ambitions. While established combat sports nations expected to maintain their customary dominance, the competitive hierarchy on the tatami yielded to relentless tactical execution, producing a historic milestone for the United Arab Emirates and a crowning moment for Georgia.
In the women's -78kg category, French competitor Kaila Issoufi arrived in the final after an impressive run through the bracket, displaying form that suggested a potential world title. However, her ambition collided directly with world number two Yelyzaveta Lytvynenko. Representing the United Arab Emirates, Lytvynenko needed little time to dismantle her opponent's strategy.
An early waza-ari scored via a sharp o-uchi-gari caught Issoufi off balance, establishing an immediate advantage. Lytvynenko promptly followed up with a second score to close out the contest decisively. The result secured not merely a personal gold medal for Lytvynenko, but the first World Judo Championship title in the history of the United Arab Emirates. International Olympic Committee member Filomena Fortes was on hand to present the medals following the contest.
The men's -100kg category provided an equally compelling display of determination. Georgian athlete Ilia Sulamanidze entered the final seeking to upgrade his previous World bronze medal. Standing in his path was Japan's Arai Dota, a contestant whose progression—world bronze in 2024 followed by world silver in 2025—seemed to position him for the top step of the podium in 2026.
Sulamanidze had other plans. Maintaining the powerful and decisive tempo that characterized his journey through the draw, the Georgian scored a single yuko in the final. That solitary score was sufficient to secure the world title and the coveted red backpatch of a champion. The medal presentation was conducted by Dimitri Abdushelishvili, president of the Georgian National Federation of Aquatic Sports.
Can traditional judo powerhouses continue to assume that past pedigree guarantees future silverware? The decisive performances in Azerbaijan suggest that technical precision and competitive hunger are rapidly reshaping international competition, well before the heavyweights even take to the mats.
Written by Thorben Thiede thorben.thiede@alpineweekly.com
