Natsumi Tsunoda and Francisco Garrigós win gold on Day 1 of World Judo Championships

Doha- The World Judo Championships- Doha 2023 kicked off in style Sunday at the Ali bin Hamad Al Attiyah Arena. Sunday saw the first day of competition, which featured women under 48kg and men under 60kgs, battling it out for the championship crown.

In the women's under 48kg category, it was a closely fought contest, with the gold medal eventually going to Japan's Natsumi Tsunoda. She was followed by France's Shirine Boukli in second place, and Japan’s Koga Wakana and Italy’s Assunto Scuto in third.

Meanwhile, in the men's under 60kg category, the gold medal was claimed by Spain's Francisco Garrigós. In second place was Uzbekistan’s Dilshodbek Baratov, while in third place was Korea's Lee Harim and Georgia’s Giorgi Sardalashvili.

Speaking after the event, the Director of the Sports Committee for the championships, Eid Ali Al Muraikhi, said: "The Judo World Championship - Doha 2023 has kicked off with fiercely competitive matches. We've seen exceptional performances from all the participating athletes, and we extend our heartfelt congratulations to the winners. Additionally, we'd like to highlight that the opening ceremony of the championship will take place Monday evening. We're looking forward to a momentous event that celebrates both Arab and Qatari cultures, while also serving as a global occasion."

The tournament is scheduled to take place from 7 to 14 May, and will witness the participation of 657 players from 99 countries across five continents, namely Europe, Africa, Oceania, Asia, and America.

According to the International Judo Federation's draw, the competition features 343 players across seven weight categories for men's singles: under 60 kg (37 players), under 66 kg (55 players), under 73 kg (55 players), under 81 kg (51 players), under 90 kg (58 players), under 100 kg (44 players), and over 100 kg (43 players). For women's singles, the competition has 314 players across seven weight categories: under 48 kg (45 players), under 52 kg (46 players), under 57 kg (50 players), under 63 kg (46 players), under 70 kg (49 players), under 78 kg (37 players), and above 78 kg (41 players).

For more information on the World Judo Championships - Doha 2023 and ticket purchases, visit the official website, judodoha2023.com.

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