Baku witnessed two very different forms of dominance.
Baku, Azerbaijan
Tato Grigalashvili and Haruka Kaju delivered two of the defining performances of the World Judo Championships in Baku, reinforcing their status among the sport’s most formidable competitors. Grigalashvili defeated home favorite Zelim Tckaev in the men’s -81 kg final to secure his fourth world title. Kaju, meanwhile, successfully defended her women’s -63 kg crown and extended her unbeaten World Judo Tour streak to 40 contests. Their victories highlighted both experience at the highest level and the psychological pressure of competing on one of judo’s biggest stages.
Grigalashvili entered the final carrying the weight of expectation after settling for silver at the previous World Championships. Facing Tckaev meant confronting not only a dangerous opponent but also a strongly partisan Azerbaijani crowd. The Georgian responded with the composure expected from a multiple world champion and secured the victory when it mattered most. His fourth world title further strengthens his position among the most accomplished judokas of the modern era.
The women’s -63 kg final offered a different kind of storyline. Kaju faced Kerem Primo, who was appearing in her first World Championship final and her first World Judo Tour final. The Japanese champion controlled the decisive phase on the ground, using her trademark ne-waza to impose herself and preserve an extraordinary unbeaten record. Reaching 40 consecutive victories at this level is not simply a statistical achievement but evidence of sustained technical and mental superiority.
Baku also provided the kind of atmosphere that can magnify both pressure and performance. Tckaev had the support of the home crowd, while Grigalashvili relied on a much smaller Georgian contingent. Kaju, by contrast, embraced the noise and spectacle surrounding the event, describing the atmosphere as one of the elements she enjoyed most. Elite competition often reveals how differently champions process external pressure.
Day four of the championships therefore produced more than two gold medals. It showed how dominance can take different forms: one athlete returning to the top after missing gold the previous year, another extending an unbeaten run that continues to redefine expectations in her division.
Champions are measured not only by victories, but by how long excellence can be sustained.