2024 Judo World Championships Day 3. Grigalashvili wins third consecutive world title. GETTY IMAGES

The world leaders in the men's +81 kg category, Matthias Casse (Belgium) and Tato Grigalashvili (Georgia), were set to meet in the final of the 2024 Judo World Championships in Abu Dhabi from 19-23 May. The two had met in the final of the last three World Championships and the third-place match at Tokyo 2020, with Casse winning the 2021 Olympic bronze medal and Grigalashvili winning the last two World Championships.

20-years-old Timur Arbuzov (blue) stopped World N1 Matthias Casse in the 1/8 final. GETTY IMAGES
20-years-old Timur Arbuzov (blue) stopped World N1 Matthias Casse in the 1/8 final. GETTY IMAGES

But 20-year-old Timur Arbuzov (Individual Neutral Athlete) upset all the predictions.

In the 1/8 final the Russian met Matthias Casse and the Belgian had a hard time to get an action against Arbuzov. The bout went to golden score and Casse, who had already received two shidos for leg violation, made another mistake and was cautioned for the third time. 

Arbuzov continued his journey and reached the final, but Grigalashvili was too strong for the Russian youngster. The experienced Georgian scored a waza-ari in the final to win his third consecutive world title.

Three time world champion Tato Grigalashvili (blue) in action against Timur Arbuzov. GETTY IMAGES
Three time world champion Tato Grigalashvili (blue) in action against Timur Arbuzov. GETTY IMAGES

Despite losing the final, Arbuzov had a very successful tournament. He was behind his team-mate David Karapetyan in the Olympic rankings. Karapetyan had beaten Arbuzov at the Russian Nationals in 2022. But the silver medal at the World Championships boosted Arbuzov's chances of going to Paris, as Karapetyan was stopped by Korea's Joonhwan Lee in the quarter-finals and later lost to Tajikistan's Som Makhmadbekov in the repechages. Lee and Makhmadbekov went on to win bronze medals.

World number one in the women's 63 kg and Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard (Canada) started the tournament with two wins over 2024 European champion Renata Zachova (Czech Republic) and 2019 World runner-up Barabara Timo (Portugal) before meeting Tokyo 2020 champion Clarisse Agbegnenou (France) in the rematch of the Tokyo 2020 semi-finals.

Olymoic champion Clarisse Agbegnenou after winning bronze medal at the 2024 World Championships. GETTY IMAGES
Olymoic champion Clarisse Agbegnenou after winning bronze medal at the 2024 World Championships. GETTY IMAGES

Agbegnenou, who won the 2023 World Championships after returning from maternity leave, was stopped by the Canadian this time. Beauchemin-Pinard made it to the semi-finals but was beaten by European silver medallist Joanne van Lieshout of the Netherlands.

The Dutch athlete went on to win the gold medal in the final against Angelika Szymańska of Poland. Beauchemin-Pinard lost to Kosovo's Laura Fazliu in the third-place bout, while Agbegnenou won the repechage and the third-place bouts to take bronze.

Newly crowned world champion Joanne van Lieshout from the Netherlands. GETTY IMAGES
Newly crowned world champion Joanne van Lieshout from the Netherlands. GETTY IMAGES

All the medallists of the Day three at the 2024 Judo World Championships

Men’s -81 kg
1. Tato Grigalashvili (Georgia)
2. Timur Arbuzov (Individual Neutral Athlete)
3. Joonhwan Lee (South Korea)
3. Somon Makhmadbekov (Tajikistan)

The medallists of the women's 63 kg weight category. GETTY IMAGES
The medallists of the women's 63 kg weight category. GETTY IMAGES

Women’s -63 kg
1. Joanne van Lieshout (Netherlands)
2. Angelika Szymańska (Poland)
3. Clarisse Agbegnenou  (France)
3. Laura Fazliu (Kosovo)