Cuban judo team fails to medal at Baku World Championships

The Cuban judo delegation concluded its participation in the 2026 Baku World Championships without securing any medals. This outcome marks the third consecutive world championship where the team has failed to reach the podium, continuing a trend seen in Doha 2023 and Budapest 2025.

Iván Felipe Silva delivered the team's strongest performance in the 100 kg category. After securing two victories, he was eliminated in the round of 16 by Japan's Dota Arai, finishing ninth overall and earning 320 world ranking points. Silva, a former silver medalist at the 2018 Baku championships, was the only Cuban athlete to advance past the initial rounds.

The women's team struggled significantly, with all four competitors failing to secure a victory. Dayanara Curbelo was the final Cuban athlete to compete in the over 78 kg category; she was defeated by French judoka Romane Ficko, a former world champion and two-time Olympic bronze medalist. Curbelo lost via hansoku-make following three penalties and a waza-ari conceded to Ficko.

Overall, the Cuban delegation recorded two wins and seven losses across nine individual contests, representing a 22.2 percent success rate.