It was difficult to separate them, each knowing the other well and also understanding the risks of opening up too much. penalties began to accumulate as the time slipped away. As they went into golden score there remained little between them but Takano found her moment on the ground and applied an inescapable shime-waza. A broad smile spread across the face as she became the -57 kg champion of the day.

Dora Bortas (CRO) and Maria Garcia Martin (ESP) arrived in the final block on day one energised and ready to give their best. Only a single yuko separated them at full time, earned by the latter via a fast seoi-otoshi only a minute before the end of the allotted time. It was enough! It was also Spain’s sixth medal of the day, a remarkable statistic.

Seven-time World Judo Tour medallist Jessica Lima (BRA) and 2025 Paris Grand Slam winner Martha Fawaz (FRA) were set to compete for the last medal of the day. It was an incredibly close contest, neither wanting to lose the opportunity to climb up on to the podium.

One would’ve to lose though and it was Fawaz who made that choice. She threw with o-soto-gari for a waza-ari a minute and a half into golden score, avoiding either athlete being given a potential third shido.