Harasawa bounced by Krpalek at world judo

TOKYO: Czech giant Lukas Krpalek beat Japan’s Hisayoshi Harasawa to capture judo’s world heavyweight title on Saturday and fire a warning for next year’s Tokyo Olympics.

The hulking 28-year-old won half-heavyweight gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics and looked ominously strong after stepping up to the +100-kilogram class -- even if the competition was diluted by the absence of France’s Olympic king Teddy Riner.

Entering with a roar at Tokyo’s iconic Budokan, venue for the 1964 Tokyo Games and next year’s Olympics, Krpalek celebrated with gusto after Harasawa picked up his third passivity penalty deep into the golden score.

“My dream was to win titles in two weight classes,” said Krpalek, who also won world championship gold at -100 kilos in 2014. “But even winning gold still doesn’t quite feel complete without Riner here. He’s the one man on the planet I’ve never beaten -- I want to put that right next year and win the Olympic gold medal.”

Harasawa, the 2016 Rio Olympic silver medallist, had stunned Georgian behemoth Guram Tushishvili in the semi-finals, stripping him of his world title. The 27-year-old ran out of steam in the final after taking a medical timeout for a finger injury but still secured an upgrade on the bronze medal he won at last year’s world championships in Baku.

Earlier, Japanese teenager Akira Sone bagged gold on her world championship debut, upsetting Cuba’s former Olympic champion Idalys Ortiz in the women’s heavyweight final. The 19-year-old Asian Games gold medallist quickly forced Ortiz onto the back foot, sustained pressure bringing a third penalty that eliminated the +78-kilo division’s top-ranked fighter.

“All I was thinking about today was winning that gold medal,” said a sweat-drenched Sone after capturing Japan’s fourth gold of the week. “I was determined not to show any weakness or give her any opening because she’s so strong. I didn’t care how I won, I just wanted it so badly.

“I tried to attack and set the tempo,” added the Fukuoka native. “The goal now is to do the same at the Tokyo Olympics and make sure I win gold there too.” Japan’s defending world champion Sarah Asahina had to settle for bronze.

Japan topped the medals table after Joshiro Maruyama, Uta Abe and Shohei Ono bagged golds earlier in the week. The hosts have also picked up six silver and five bronze medals. France have won three gold medals but no silvers and just two bronze.

Japan also dominated the 2018 world championships in Baku, capturing eight of the 15 gold medals available. But the host nation could face more resistance at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on the evidence of the past week, the amuse-bouche to next summer’s main event.