Russia's Elena Bondareva successfully defended her women's 48kg world title ©FIAS

Russia expectedly took a large lead at the top of the medals table on day one of the World Sambo Championships, winning six of the nine golds on offer in Novi Sad in Serbia.

One of the most notable runs to the final was in the women's 48-kilogram weight class, where Elena Bondareva successfully defended her world title in a testing final.

Coming through the first round in a narrow victory over eventual bronze medallist Maria Guedez of Venezuela, Bondareva appeared to sink into a rhythm prior to her final versus Ukraine's Alina Pashuk.

Bondareva won a defensive tussle after making her opponent submit.

Her victory started a streak of five straight golds for Russia, with Andrei Kubarkov also emerging as a winner via submission following a back-and-forth battle with Kyrgyzstan's Imanbek Tentiev in the men's 52kg final.

The first combat sambo final of the day saw Mukhtar Gamzaev triumph in the 57kg division, having made an important hold down which proved the difference between himself and Uzbekistan's Lutfilla Saydamatov.

Gulfia Mukhtarova made two of her opponents tap out in quick fashion to win the women's 60kg, taking Uzbekistan's Ibodatkhow Agoyonova out in the final in just a minute; while Nikita Kletskov held back the tears in the men's 68kg after realising he was now a world champion, having defeated Uladzislau Sayapin of Belarus.

Sergey Ryabov, in blue, beat Nemat Yokubov via a decision in the men's 90kg final ©FIAS
Sergey Ryabov, in blue, beat Nemat Yokubov via a decision in the men's 90kg final ©FIAS

This Russian streak ended in the 74kg combat sambo class when Vladyslav Rudniev of Ukraine sparked an understated final against Daiyrbek Karyiaev of Kyrgyzstan into what proved an exciting conclusion, locking on a choke to win the gold medal.

Belarus' Anzhela Zhylinskaya's world-title chances never looked in doubt, and a hold down of Ukraine's Nataliya Smal clinched women's 72kg victory.

Sergey Ryabov won Russia's sixth and final world title of the night in the men's 90kg, but his much-anticipated final with Uzbekistan's Nemat Yokubov was five minutes of stalemate after both had looked dominant in the previous rounds. 

The Russian won the decision.

The most dominant performance of the day came in the last final as Cameroon's Seidou Nji Mouluh fought for five minutes at full speed, knocking Ukraine's Anatolii Voloshynov off his feet for a count of eight and ending the bout 7-0 ahead to claim the combat sambo 100kg crown.

Day two is set to see nine more world titles award - three each in men's, women's and combat sambo.