Goki Tajima Stuns Field to Win -90kg World title

The fourth day of the World Judo Championships 2024 in Abu Dhabi saw unexpected turns and dramatic moments, culminating in an astonishing victory for Goki Tajima in the highly competitive -90kg category. The world number 78 pulled off a series of upsets to claim the world title, marking a historic achievement for Japanese judo.

Goki Tajima’s rise to the top has been nothing short of meteoric. The 2017 Junior World Champion began to emerge from the shadows of his illustrious teammates Shoichiro Mukai and Kenta Nagasawa in 2023, earning a bronze at the Tbilisi Grand Slam and showcasing his talent during Japan's mixed team championship victory in Doha. In Abu Dhabi, Tajima displayed a versatile array of techniques, proving his prowess and resilience on his way to the final.

Tajima's journey to the final was not an easy one. The -90kg category featured numerous top-tier competitors, but several high seeds fell early, clearing a path for the rising star. Tajima’s blend of left-sided hip throws, right-sided seoi-nage, and ko-uchi-gari combinations kept his opponents off balance and showcased his tactical brilliance.

In the final, Tajima faced Nemanja Majdov of Serbia, a seasoned competitor and the 2017 world champion. Majdov, who had last reached a world championship podium in 2019, presented a formidable challenge. The final match was tense and extended into golden score, with Tajima eventually executing a decisive uchi-mata to secure a waza-ari and claim his first world title. This victory made him the first Japanese world champion in the -90kg category since Hiroshi Izumi in 2005, with Izumi watching from the stands as the coach for Egypt.

Surprises and Milestones

The tournament was full of surprises. Erlan Sherov of Kyrgyzstan won an unexpected bronze, marking the first world championship medal for his country. Sherov had no opponent in the quarter-finals due to a double disqualification of Tselidis and Donghan Gwak (KOR), allowing him to rest and prepare for his bronze medal match.

Christian Parlati of Italy, the 2022 world silver medallist, faced Sherov for bronze after defeating Ivan Silva Morales in the repechage. Despite a cautious start, Parlati’s attempt to attack with o-soto-otoshi was countered by Sherov’s sumi-otoshi, giving the Kyrgyz judoka a historic ippon victory.

Another bronze went to Spanish judoka Tristani Mosakhlishvili, who faced Caramnob Sagaipov of Lebanon. Sagaipov had performed exceptionally well in the preliminaries, defeating top seeds and former world champions. However, in golden score, Mosakhlishvili executed an utsuri-goshi to score a waza-ari and secure his first world championship medal.

Majdov’s path to the final included overcoming David Klammert (CZE) and Mamedaly Achyldyyev (TKM) through tactical victories. In the quarter-final, he faced Ivan Felipe Silva Morales (CUB) and managed to score two waza-ari to advance. Notable early exits included 2022 world champion Davlat Bobonov (UZB) and former silver medallist Mihail Zgank (TUR).

Emotional Victory

Tajima’s victory was particularly emotional for his coach, Takashi Ono, a former world champion himself. Ono, who won medals in 2005 and 2011, and finished fifth in 2013, understood both the triumphs and the heartbreaks of judo competition. His tears of joy were a testament to the significance of Tajima’s win for both athlete and coach. The Abu Dhabi World Championships 2024 continues on Thursday.