Last 16 exit for GB Judo at Mixed Team Event

GB Judo went out in the round of 16 of the Mixed Team event at the 2017 World Judo Championships on Sunday 3 September in Budapest, Hungary.

This was the first Mixed Team event at a senior World Judo Championships and gave an opportunity for GB to add to the bronze medals won by Nekoda Davis (-57kg) and Natalie Powell (-78kg) earlier in the week.

After receiving a bye into the second round GB Judo took on Korea. First up at -57kg was Paris Grand Slam champion Youjeong Kwon against Nekoda Davis. An early waza-ari to Kwon forced Davis to chase the fight.

Kwon’s gripping did enough to hold off Davis despite the British judoka continuing to pressure the Korean throughout.

At -73kg Aaron Turner made his World Judo Championships debut against World bronze medallist An Changrim. Turner made a solid start and was positive from the off as he looked to nullify An’s gripping. However, after picking up a shido for passivity the Korean threw Turner for waza-ari and followed up on the ground for ippon by osaekomi.

Sally Conway (-70kg) took on former Paris Grand Slam champion Seongyeon Kim and in a close contest neither judoka was able to get an advantage in regular time. Early on the in golden score Conway was finally able to throw Kim for waza-ari which meant GB got their first win of the match.

Max Stewart (-90kg) was next up against former world champion Donghan Gwak. The two had fought at the Paris Grand Slam this year with Gwak winning a cagey, tactical contest on shidos. This was another cagey match with both men unable to get their judo going.

The contest went into golden score and after just under two minutes Gwak’s superior attack rate meant that Stewart picked up a shido. This put GB 3 – 1 down with wins needed in the last two contests to progress.

Natalie Powell (+70kg) had Minjeong Kim, who won bronze at +78kg the day before. Powell looked use her movement to good effect but Kim’s greater weight advantage told in the end. She was able to throw Powell for waza-ari and finished the contest via osaekomi.

This meant that GB would be unable to win the match but Ben Fletcher ensured the GB Judo finished on a high as he held down Jonghoon Won for ippon.

This brought an end to GB Judo’s involvement at the 2017 World Judo Championships in Budapest. This has been the most successful British effort at the World Judo Championships since 2007 with two bronze medals and a seventh. This was also the first time GB has medalled at a World Championships since 2010.