IBSA World Championships: Thrilling Day One Comes to a Close in Astana
The 2025 IBSA World Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan continued with an exhilarating first day of competition, as ten categories unfolded and demonstration events set the stage for tomorrow's continuation of the action.
In the men's -70 kg J1 category, Paralympic champion Florin Alexandru Bologa dominated the field, defeating Italy's Dong Dong Capanni in just over a minute to claim his first IBSA world title. Fellow European champion Hyeonbin Kim shared silver with Viktor Rudenko of Neutral Pair.
The top seed was eliminated from contention an early stage but that did not deter Saba Bagdavadze of Georgia as he retained his perfect start and claimed the men's -81 kg J1 gold, defeating Brazil's Danilo Geronimo Silva in style.
A new generation shone bright with Giorgi Kaldani of Georgia emerging victorious in the women's -70 kg J2 category, having navigated a battle between top seeds Tetsuya Sakura and Davyd Khorava to reach the final. The Georgian judoka was awarded his first gold medal after switching direction at the halfway mark.
Bexultan Kulmurza claimed his debut IBSA world title in the men's -81 kg J2 category, triumphantly submitting Galymzhan Smagululy of Kazakhstan with a seoi-otoshi to clinch victory.
The female events also saw Rosicleide De Andrade claim her maiden gold medal after impressing many for a series of beautifully executed o-suchigatame style judoka techniques in the women's -52 kg J1 final. Alesia Stepaniuk and Sandrine Aurieres Martinet found their own respective ways to triumph however, as they edged past second seed Alesia Stepaniuk was defeated by French judoka who held for ippon with kami-shiho-gatame.
It seemed almost inevitable that a former gold medallist will dominate the women's -60 kg J2 event; that was exactly what Daria Stakanova of Neutral Pair proved herself to be as she took her maiden IBSA title on day one. Her dominance came over her country neighbour, Hiroko Kudo.
The men and women's J1 -64 kg and 46 kg events also had new faces in contention for gold medals on what has been a gripping first day.