Japan make it four from four at judo world championships

Hifumi Abe and Ai Shishime claimed gold medals on Tuesday as Japan continued their domination of the 2017 world judo championships in Budapest.

Abe, 20, beat Russia's Mikhail Pulyaev in the half-lightweight final, after Shishime had beaten compatriot Natsumi Tsunoda in the women's category to give Japan their fourth title from the opening two days' four finals.

After struggling with injury and failing to qualify for last year's Rio Olympics, Abe has rebuilt his career and is already expected to be one of the favourites for Tokyo gold in 2020.

The biggest shock of the day came in the women's -52kg event, as Shishime inflicted a first defeat in almost two years on reigning Olympic champion Majlinda Kelmendi of Kosovo.

In the final, she comfortably beat Tsunoda, who settled for her country's first silver medal of the championships, leaving Japan top of the medals table with four golds, one silver and a bronze.

World championship medallists on Tuesday:

Men

-66kg

1. Hifumi Abe (JPN)

2. Mikhailo Pulyaev (RUS)

3. Vazha Margvelashvili (GEO), Tal Flicker (ISR)

Women

-52kg

1. Ai Shishime (JPN)

2. Natsumi Tsunoda (JPN)

3. Natalia Kuziutina (RUS), Erika Miranda (BRA)

Source: AFP