BUDAPEST: Japan’s Ryuju Nagayama won his first world title on Friday in the men’s -60kg at the world judo championships as Italy’s Assunta Scutto won the women’s -48kg title. After winning his first bout on penalties, Nagayama—a bronze medalist at last year’s Paris Olympics—was then imperious for the rest of the day.

In the final against promising Frenchman Romain Valadier-Picard, the 29-year-old Japanese judoka stepped up a notch in the second half of the bout to win by ippon. Ten years after his junior title, Nagayama finally reached the top step of a world championship podium after finishing third twice.

In the women’s category, Scutto defeated Azerbaijan’s Abiba Abuzhakynova in the final. Last year’s world silver medalist and a bronze medalist the previous two years, the 23-year-old judoka completes her collection with world gold. – AFP