Japan reclaimed the mixed team world judo title in Baku on 11 October 2026, defeating Russia in the final and collecting an eighth gold medal in the event. The victory capped a dramatic day at the World Judo Championships, where Russia also reached the mixed team final for the first time.
Japan secured its place in the final by overcoming the People’s Republic of China in the semi-final. Russia advanced after a closely fought contest with Uzbekistan, decided in Golden Score.
Japan secure eighth mixed team world title
The mixed team competition brought together men’s and women’s judoka in a format built around collective performance rather than individual results. Japan entered the final seeking to recover the title after taking team bronze at the previous championship.
Japan made the stronger start against Russia. Shiho Tanaka won the opening contest, giving Japan an early advantage. Sanshiro Murao then extended the lead before Mao Arai moved the score to 3–0.
Russia responded when Tamerlan Bashaev won his contest, reducing the deficit and briefly raising hopes of a comeback. Akari Omori, however, delivered the decisive victory for Japan, confirming the country’s eighth mixed team world championship gold.
Japan overcome China in the semi-final
Japan’s route to the final began with a convincing semi-final performance against China. Uchimura gave Japan an early lead, while double world champion Sanshiro Murao followed with another ippon to strengthen the team’s position.
Mao Arai completed the successful run into the final with a composed performance, securing Japan’s opportunity to fight for the title.
The result marked a return to the top of the mixed team competition for Japan after its bronze medal the previous year. It also reinforced the country’s long-standing strength across both men’s and women’s judo.
Russia reach first mixed team final
Russia made history by reaching its first mixed team world final after defeating Uzbekistan in a tense semi-final.
Uzbekistan initially took the lead when Ahadov scored an ippon. Lishchenko levelled the contest with a yuko before Murtozoev restored Uzbekistan’s advantage. Rechkalova then equalised, making the score 2–2.
Tasoev put Russia ahead again, but Aminova brought Uzbekistan level at 3–3. The deciding contest went to Golden Score in the over-90-kilogram category. Tasoev settled the tie with a second ippon, sending Russia into its first mixed team final.
Why the Baku result matters
The Baku competition highlighted the distinctive character of mixed team judo. Athletes compete for individual wins, but every contest contributes to the wider result, creating a format that rewards depth, adaptability and team spirit.
Japan’s final victory showed the value of building an advantage across several categories. Russia’s run to the final was equally significant, demonstrating progress in a format where it had not previously reached the title contest.
- Gold: Japan
- Silver: Russia
- Bronze: Uzbekistan and the People’s Republic of China
World Judo Championships conclude in celebration
The gold trophy was presented by International Judo Federation President Marius Vizer. Harvest Group chief executive Almaz Alsenov presented the silver trophy, while International Judo Federation vice-presidents Laszlo Toth and Obaid Al Anzi awarded the bronze trophies.
The mixed team final brought the championships in Baku to a memorable conclusion, combining individual excellence with a strong emphasis on cooperation and national team identity.
Conclusion
Japan’s eighth mixed team world title in Baku confirms its continued dominance in one of judo’s most demanding team formats. Russia’s historic first final appearance adds another important storyline, while the competition showed how quickly momentum can shift from one contest to the next.
