Before going in to the +100kg semi final, 10-time world champion of France, Teddy RINER had a very tough time against SAITO (JPN), eventually becoming a golden score exchange, but Riner made a point of not doing that again. Not even thirty seconds in to his semi final with number one seed, Temur RAKHIMOV (TJK), he executed a wheeling ashi guruma, scoring ippon and a place in his 11th world championship final.
Meeting him from the other side of the draw is another unseeded athlete, Inal TASOEV (AIN) who secured the win over Alisher YUSUPOV (UZB).
As for the women, Julia TOLOFUA became front runner and the only medal hope for France after the early elimination of world champion Romane DICKO at the hands of surprise Asya TAVANO (ITA). Tolofua became, like Riner, the only European in the semi finals in with a chance of taking golden glory. With the bittersweet taste of world bronze fresh for Tolofua, she worked hard against the difficult XU Shiyan (CHN) and eventually an uchi mata from the Frenchwoman scored waza ari.
Tolofua will now meet up with SONE Akira (JPN) for the +78kg world title.
France have a double shot at the world title this evening with the final block starting at 18:00 local time.
Also competing for a bronze medal in the +78kg category is Raw HERSHKO (ISR).
Judoka
Author: Thea Cowen