Audrey TCHEUMEO (FRA), Giorgia STAGHERLIN (ITA), and GOZ Roland (HUN) claimed gold medals on the second day of the 42nd CISM World Military Judo Championship, showcasing their dominance on the global stage. Goz’s victory marked him as the only male European judoka to win gold in this prestigious competition, making his achievement even more significant.
Representing MTK Budapest and holding the rank of Corporal in the Hungarian military, Goz had an exceptional day in the -90kg category. His journey to gold was a testament to his skill and determination, defeating all of his five opponents, Lorenzo RIGANO (ITA), Sulim MARAEV (BRN), Alexis MATHIEU (FRA), Kim YUCHUL (KOR), and Wittwer LUKAS (SUI). Reflecting on his world title, Goz expressed his pride:
I stepped on the mat in Tashkent after a rather challenging period as I have not had many competitions at all and to top that I was out with injury too. Nevertheless, I was able to do judo today with a sense of freedom. It is a great feeling to win a world title for Hungary and the Hungarian Defence Forces.
I really enjoyed competing here, as the local passion for the sport in Uzbekistan was evident all day. It’s always a pleasure to compete in such an atmosphere. I was pleased to stick to the tactical plans, especially considering the injury that had sidelined me. I was happy to maintain good condition throughout. Of course, I was tired by the end and felt the impact of not having competed recently.
The toughest fight was definitely against the French judoka, Mathieu. We have known each other for a long time, since we were young, and we have fought many times. He is a top judoka and I was most concerned about him. It was anybody’s game. Fortunately, I was able to capitalise on his mistake to throw him. Once I secured that win, I felt like the sky was the limit. This medal means a lot to me and gives a huge boost for the years ahead.
In the women’s -78kg category, French judo icon Audrey Tcheumeo continued her dominance, securing her second world military title. Tcheumeo, already renowned in the judo world, overcame Ekaterina TOKAREVA (KAZ), Linda POLITI (ITA), and Yong KIM YE (PRK) to claim the gold. Her consistency at the highest level of competition cements her place as one of the sport’s greats.
Italy’s Stagherlin also delivered an impressive performance, fighting through four bouts to capture the gold in her category, -70kg. In the final, she faced Slovenia’s Anka POGACNIK, securing a well-earned victory to claim the title.
As the individual events concluded, host nation Uzbekistan topped the overall medal table with 5 gold, 5 silver, and 3 bronze medals (5-5-3). Mongolia followed closely behind with 3 gold and 3 silver (3-3-0), while France secured third place with 2 gold and 5 bronze medals (2-0-5). The championship will now move into the highly anticipated team events, with nations aiming to add to their medal tallies and conclude the tournament on a high note.
Images: LOC – 42nd CISM World Military Judo Championship / Krizsan Szabolcs
Author: Szandra Szogedi