World Judo Championships begin in Baku with challenging starts for Portugal and Brazil

The World Judo Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, have commenced, featuring high-stakes matchups for international competitors.

Portuguese athletes Bernardo Tralhão (-60 kg) and Catarina Costa (-48 kg) both finished in ninth place during the opening day of competition. Tralhão secured two victories against Moussa Yahaya of Niger and Ali Popalzai of the Refugee Team before being eliminated in the round of 16 by Georgian champion Giorgi Sardalashvili. Costa, competing in her eighth World Championship, defeated Victoria Sibille of Belgium but was subsequently eliminated by France's Shirine Boukli.

Brazilian competitors face challenging draws as the tournament progresses. Rafaela Silva is set for a difficult path that could include matches against Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard of Canada and Clarisse Agbegnenou of France. Other Brazilian athletes, including Larissa Pimenta and Beatriz Souza, also face significant challenges against top-ranked opponents from Japan and other nations.