By Duncan Mackay at the Traktor Sport Arena in Chelyabinsk

Riki Nakaya claimed Japan's fourth gold medal of the 2014 World Judo Championships ©IJFThe sun continued to rise on Japan's team at the World Judo Championships here as they claimed the two gold medals on offer today to take their total to four as they head for their best performance outside their own country for 15 years. 


Overall, hosts Russia have won five medals, the same amount as Japan, but are still waiting for their first gold.

The fact they have not managed to claim one yet is certainly not down to lack of support as another capacity crowd inside this Arena continued to offer loud and enthusiastic backing to Russia's judoka.

But it is the small pocket of Japanese fans shoehorned into one section of the stands who have had the most to celebrate.

Today it was the success of Nae Udaka and Riki Nakaya in the under-57 and under-73 kilogramm classes who, remarkably, triumphed despite having arrived here considered their country's second string representatives

Kaori Matsumoto and Shohei Ono, the Olympic and world champions respectively, were probably considered more favourably but were each knocked out in the early rounds.

For Udaka, 29, winner of eight medals on the International Judo Federation (IJF) World Tour, including three gold, this was the biggest victory of her career. 

She handed Portugal's Telma Monteiro her fourth defeat in a world final.

Japan's Nae Udaka enjoyed the biggest moment of her career to win the under-57kg category at the World Championships as Portugal's Telma Montiero had to settle for silver for the fourth time ©IJFJapan's Nae Udaka enjoyed the best moment of her career to win the under-57kg category at the World Championships as Portugal's Telma Montiero had to settle for silver for a fourth time ©IJF

"I am very glad to win the World Championships," said Udaka, whose victory came after she created an opening with ashi-waza and followed it up with a leg grab which resulted in hansoku-make.

"You can see my happy tears.

"I am grateful to my fans and tutors - I'll never forget your support.

"Now I need to prepare for the [2016] Olympics in Rio.

"The most important thing is to stay at the top for two more years, to keep the combative mood and good shape."

Udaka's joy was in stark contrast to the disappointment felt by Matsumoto, the London 2012 gold medallist who was seeking to regain the world title she last won in 2010.

She went out in the preliminaries by juji-gatame against America's Marti Malloy after just 24 seconds.

"Kaori Matsumoto is very popular in Japan and everybody was waiting for her to be the world champion here in Russia," admitted Udaka.

"I want to reach the level of Matsumoto.

"Until now, I was only able to win in Japan.

"Now I know that I can also win abroad."

Overall, this was the fifth World Championship medal won by Monteiro, a record stretching back to Cairo in 2005 when she took the bronze in the under-52kg category.

Since then she has won silver in the under-52kg at Rio de Janeiro in 2007 and the under-57kg at Rotterdam in 2009, Tokyo 2010 and now here.

"I will keep working," she promised as she pledged to continue to seek that elusive gold medal at this level. 

I will never give up until I decide to stop.

"But this time has not come."

The first bronze medal was won by Sanne Verhagen of The Netherlands, who beat Sumiya Dorjsuren of Mongolia with a yuko score.

The second bronze medal was won by France's Automne Pavia, who defeated last year's world champion Rafaela Silva of Brazil.

The Japanese flag was flying high for a second time on day three of competition when Olympic silver medallist Nakaya regained the title he had last lifted at Paris three years ago. 

Nakaya battled to gold beating North Korea's Kuk Hyon Hong.

He sealed victory an ippon with 94 seconds of the fight remaining.

Japan's Riki Nakaya beat North Korea's Kuk Hyon Hong with an ippon to claim the gold medal in the under-73kg ©IJFJapan's Riki Nakaya beat North Korea's Kuk Hyon Hong with an ippon to claim the gold medal in the under-73kg ©IJF

"Three years ago I was world champion in Paris," said Nakaya, a 25-year-old who had won Olympic silver at London 2012. 

"But since then, I was not able to find again my sensations and my best judo even if I got the silver at the Olympics.

"So it took me three years to be back on the top of the podium.

"Last year I lost in the quarter-final, but this morning I was really confident and felt stronger and stronger throughout the day."

Japan's best recent performance in a World Championships outside their own country came at Birmingham in 1999 when they won 11 medals, including eight gold. 

The first bronze of the under 73kg category was won by Victor Scvortov who handed the United Arab Emirates (UAE) its first ever world judo medal.

He beat Young Jun Lee of Korea with an ippon in extra time.

"This is fantastic and this result is the consequence of a fantastic team work," said the 26-year-old Scvortov, who originally competed for Moldova before switching to the UAE. 

"Of course I was on the tatami today, but this victory goes also to my coach, my team-mate, to the Federation and to all the people who are supporting us."

Musa Mogushkov thrilled the home crowd when the Russian claimed the second bronze in the weight class.

Mogushkov defeated Yertugan Torenov of Kazakhstan with a half point to repeat his World bronze from Paris in 2011. 

"I dedicate today's victory to my mother," said Mogushkov.

"After the failure at the [London 2012] Olympics I wanted to retire from sports but she said that I must stay.

"She is the main reason of what I am today."

Watch the latest action on Judo TV here.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
August 2014: Favourites retain titles at World Judo Championships
August 2014: Underdogs have eye of the tiger at World Judo Championships
August 2014: Chelyabinsk meteor to feature on medals as city prepares for sold-out World Judo Championships
August 2014: Social media "vital tool" in build-up to major Championships, claim IJF
December 2012: Russia to host 2014 World Judo Championships