Korea took the lead of the male table with world champion 2003 Hee-Tae Hwang claiming gold in the -100kg in his come back to judo.
Siarhei Shundzikau (BLR) won the -81kg and Takashi Ono (JPN) was crowned champion in the -81kg category. Japan won two more female medals with Yoriko Kunihara (-70kg) and Athens Olympic champion Maki Tsukada (+78kg), in a total of five golds out of seven possible. Chinese Xiuli Yang was number one at the -78kg division.
Takashi Ono (JPN), bronze in the World Championships 2003, is experiencing a smooth change of category. Until last season he was competing in the -81kg. Now he gained nine more kilos.
“It was the right decision. I am enjoying judo more now. To compete in the -81kg I had to do great effort to maintain weight”, said Ono, who was expecting to meet one special opponent in the final: Brazilian Tiago Camilo, who also went from -81kg to -90kg this year but was defeated in the semifinal and ended with bronze. “He beat me in the Olympics last year and I wish I could fight him again now in the higher category”, completed Ono.
The Brazilian team, who showed up complete for the first time this year, won two medals with 2007 world champions Camilo (-90kg, bronze) and Luciano Correa (-100kg, silver).
“Of course I wanted to be in the final. But maybe if I was there a gold or silver medal so quick could hide my weaknesses. I know I still have a long way to go to get really used to the new category. I think I am in the right way”, comments Camilo, bronze in Beijing 2008.
RESULTS DAY 2:
-81kg:
1. Siarhei Shundzikau (BLR)
2. Aliaksandr Stsiashenka (BLR)
3. Ole Bischof (GER) and Dae-Nam Song (KOR)
-90kg:
1. Takashi Ono (JPN)
2. Andrei Kazusionak (BLR)
3. Tiago Camilo (BRA) and Murat Gasiev (RUS)
-100kg:
1. Hee-Tae Wang (KOR)
2. Luciano Correa (BRA)
3. Jevgenijs Borodavko (LAT) and Ramadan Darwish (EGY)
+100kg:
1. Alexander Mikhaylin (RUS)
2. Andreas Toelzer (GER)
3. Barna Bor (HUN) and Martin Padar (EST)
-70kg:
1. Yoriko Kunihara (JPN)
2. Edith Bosh (NED)
3. Marie Pasquet (FRA) and Kerstin Thiele (GER)
-78kg:
1. Xiuli Yang (CHN)
2. Stephanie Possamai (FRA)
3. Maryna Pryshchepa (UKR) and Yahima Ramirez (POR)
+78kg:
1. Maki Tsukada (JPN)
2. Nihel Chikhrouhou (TUN)
3. Elena Ivashchenko (RUS) and Ursula Sadkowska (POL)