Tajima threw Junior Pan American Championships winner Florentino for a waza-ari score before sealing his first world gold medal by ippon at the Croatian capital’s Dom Sportova Arena.

The All-Japan Junior Championships bronze medallist was one of the most prolific scorers of the day as he accumulated five ippons in as many fights and three waza-ari scores.

Despite defeat, Florentino was still ecstatic to achieve a historic first for his country.

The 20-year-old is based in Spanish city Valencia in order to compete regularly throughout Europe and to develop his judo as he prepares to join the senior circuit next year.

"I have to thank my team-mates here, everyone at home and everyone in Valencia who have helped me to this medal today," Florentino said.

"I am happy to be part of the club in Valencia and I feel at home there. 

"I now look forward to competing at senior events next year and I really want to be at the 2018 World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan.

"My dream is to win the Olympic Games. 

"I am committed to this and will do everything I can to be there in Japan at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games."

The first bronze medal was won by Germany’s Eduard Trippel, who triumphed at the expense of France’s Aurelien Diesse by ippon.

The second bronze medal went the way of Japan’s Koshi Nagai with Great Britain’s Jamal Petgrave losing out.

Today’s other men’s gold medallist was Belgium’s Matthias Casse, the winner of the under 81kg category.

The Katowice European Open winner prevailed against former Junior European Championships bronze medallist Turpal Tepkaev of Russia.

Victory was sealed in golden score with a reverse seoi-nage that was worth a waza-ari.

Germany’s Tim Gramkow beat Kyrgyzstan’s Erlan Sherov to the first of the two bronze medals before Italy’s Christian Parlati held off Britain’s Stuart McWatt to clinch the second.

Among today’s women’s winners was All-Japan Junior Championships winner Honoka Araki, who was crowned the under 63kg champion after going undefeated.

Araki increased Japan’s gold medal haul to six by beating Junior European Championships winner Sanne Vermeer of The Netherlands by a waza-ari score.

Britain’s Lubjana Piovesana and France’s Clemence Eme were the bronze medallists as Serbia’s Jovana Obradovic and France’s Yasmine Horlaville just missed out on a podium place.

The other female victor was European Championships silver medallist Giovanna Scoccimarro of Germany after she beat world number 17 Aleksandra Samardzic of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the under 70kg final.

A waza-ari score was the difference after four minutes as Scoccimarro outworked Samardzic for a victory which ended Germany’s wait for a medal in Zagreb.

Austria’s Michaela Polleres won the first bronze medal match to the disappointment of Brazil’s Ellen Santana.

She was joined by Belgium’s Gabriella Willems, who later overcame Japan’s Remi Aoyagi.

Action in Zagreb is due to continue tomorrow when competition will be held in the men's under 100kg and over 100kg categories and women's under 78kg and over 78kg divisions.

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