Judo: Japan’s Ebinuma wins third world -66kg gold

Japan’s judokas Gold medalist Masashi Ebinuma (L) and Bronze medalist Masaaki Fukuoka pose after the medal ceremony of the Men’s 66kg category of the IJF World Judo Championship in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on August 27, 2013. AFP

CHELYABINSK—Japan’s Masashi Ebinuma claimed gold in the -66kg category for the third time at the World Judo Championships on Tuesday.

It is the third consecutive world title for the 24-year-old Olympic bronze medallist after Paris in 2011 and Rio de Janeiro in 2013.

Ebinuma dominated on Tuesday and spoiled home hope Mikhail Pulyaev’s bid to give the hosts their first gold of the championships being held in Siberia.

Russia’s Kamal Khan-Magomedov and Georgia’s Georgii Zantaraia won bronze.

Earlier Kosovar Majlinda Kelmendi held her women’s -52kg crown by beating Romania’s Andreea Chitu in the final with Russia’s Natalia Kuziutina and Brazilian Erika Miranda taking bronze.

Kelmendi, 23, has impressed all season winning a first European title in Montpellier, France last April.