
Canada's Beauchemin-Pinard wins silver medal at judo world championships
BUDAPEST - Canada's Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard took the silver medal in the under-63-kilogram weight class at the world judo championships Monday after losing the final bout in extra time.
Japan's Haruka Kaju, unbeaten since her World Judo Tour debut last year, withstood Beauchemin-Pinard's ground game and scored a pin for ippon — or full point — in 'golden score' sudden death.
It was the second world championship silver for Beauchemin-Pinard, who also finished runner-up in 2022.
The 30-year-old from Montreal also won bronze in the weight class at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and the 2019 and 2020 Pan American championships.
Beauchemin-Pinard, who had a bye in the first round, beat South Africa's Jasmine Martin, Slovenia's Kaja Kajzer, Mongolia's Enkhriilen Lkhagvatogoo and Brazil's Rafaela Silva en route to the final.
Three of her four wins came by ippon, but she couldn't continue her dominance against the Japanese rising star.
'It's still really fresh and I think it's going to take me a few more days to digest this defeat, because I felt I could have beaten (Kaju),' Beauchemin-Pinard said.
Still, Beauchemin-Pinard said she was proud to reach the podium.
'I'm thrilled with my result,' she said. 'Obviously, immediately after the fight, I was disappointed because the gold medal was well within reach. I felt like I'd lost the gold rather than won silver, but as the day went on, I realized that I had put in a great day's fighting.'
In other action, François Gauthier-Drapeau of Alma, Que., lost his first bout in the under-81 kg category to Zaur Dvalashvili of Georgia.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 16, 2025.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Shohei Ohtani makes Dodgers pitching debut. Here's how he did vs. Padres
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 16: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws a pitch during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium on June 16, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by) Shohei Ohtani makes Dodgers pitching debut. Here's how he did vs. Padres originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia When Shohei Ohtani stepped onto the mound at Dodger Stadium on Monday night, it was more than just a moment, more than just an average opener, it was history, and the return of the unicorn whose only comparison in MLB history is Babe Ruth. Advertisement The ballpark buzzed with electricity and nearly every fan was in their seat ahead of first pitch. That's something that hadn't been seen since Game 1 of the 2024 World Series against the New York Yankees. Cameras clicked, hearts thumped, and 56,000 sellout fans packed the Chavez Ravine stands, holding their breath as baseball's unicorn took the mound for the first time since August 23, 2023, a span of 663 days. Ohtani's debut wasn't perfect, but it also could have gone a lot worse. After not pitching in nearly two years, the Japanese right-hander clearly showed signs of rust and lack of command in his first big league action of the season. Advertisement Ohtani threw 28 pitches in the first inning, with 16 strikes and 12 balls. The first batter he faced was Fernando Tatis Jr., and after working the count full, the Padres' leadoff man hit a bloop single to centerfield on a 99 MPH fastball from Ohtani. One throw later, Ohtani's pitch went to the backstop allowing Tatis Jr. to advance to second. Luis Arraez would eventually hit a single to centerfield putting runers on the corners with no outs. But Ohtani worked his way out of the jam. He got Machado to hit a sac fly to center that scored Tatis Jr. on a bang-bang play at the plate. He got a groundout from Gavin Sheets thanks to a nice diving play at second base by Tommy Edman, and then got Xander Bogaerts to ground out to third base to end the inning. Advertisement Ohtani's final line was one inning pitched, with two hits allowed, one earned run, no walks and no strikeouts. His fastest pitch of the night reached triple-digits, a whopping 100 MPH, a good sign that Ohtani is fully recovered from his second Tommy John surgery. Just one inning. But this wasn't about numbers. This was about a man doing something no one else alive can do. A two-way superstar, surgically rebuilt, returning from his second Tommy John surgery with the weight of a city—and arguably the entire baseball world—on his shoulders. He led off the bottom of the first inning and struck out against Padres' ace Dylan Cease, much to the chagrin of the sold out crowd, but they already witnessed what they came to see: Ohtani back on the mound, pitching for the first time in Dodger blue. Advertisement It had been less than 24 hours since the Dodgers dropped the bombshell: Ohtani would pitch Monday. In minutes, ticket prices exploded on the secondary market. A $30 bleacher seat became a $300 golden ticket. Parking lots filled early. Batting practice was a full-house affair. Even the Padres paused to watch him warm up. The results weren't perfect, but if there were doubts—about his health, his command, his readiness—they were silenced like a mic drop at center stage. This wasn't just a warm-up inning. It was a statement. The Dodgers' $700 million man showed that even after two Tommy Johns, even after nearly two years off the mound, he still has the stuff that turns All-Stars into punchlines. Ohtani's return marks a new chapter—not just for him, but for the Dodgers, Major League Baseball, and fans across the globe. His presence on the mound, and at the plate, brings a different gravity to the game. A sense that you're witnessing something that shouldn't be possible. Like watching Da Vinci paint with both hands at once. He's not back to full form yet. Patience will be needed as he builds back up to full strength. One inning at a time, one start at a time. But what he gave us Monday night was a glimpse of the magic. A reminder. A promise. Advertisement Shohei Ohtani is a pitcher again. And the world just got a little more fun.

NBC Sports
2 hours ago
- NBC Sports
Sho-time at Dodger Stadium as Ohtani makes his long-awaited return to the mound after elbow surgery
LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani gave up a pair of two-strike hits and a run in his Los Angeles Dodgers pitching debut against the San Diego Padres on Monday night, 21 months after the two-way superstar had elbow surgery. Ohtani threw 28 pitches — 16 for strikes — in the first inning as fans hung on every one of them. They oohed when a fastball was clocked at 100.2 mph — the second-hardest pitch thrown by a Dodgers hurler this season. Ohtani appeared to be laboring on the mound, his face sweaty. He warmed up to his usual music, Michael Bublé's version of 'Feeling Good.' After retiring Xander Bogaerts on a grounder for the third out, Ohtani walked over to an umpire who checked his hands and glove. He didn't enter the dugout. Instead, he put on his batting gloves and other equipment near the railing and walked to the on-deck circle to prepare to lead off the bottom of the inning. Ohtani struck out swinging against Padres starter Dylan Cease, but then tied the score at 1 with an RBI double to left-center in the third. 'He's ready, he's adamant, he feels good, strong, ready to pitch a major league game,' Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before the game. 'I think everyone in that clubhouse, I think the fans, media, we've been waiting for this moment.' Ohtani faced Fernando Tatis Jr., Luis Arráez, Manny Machado, Gavin Sheets and Bogaerts in the first. Tatis flared a single to center field and went to second on Ohtani's wild pitch. Arráez singled and Machado's sacrifice fly scored Tatis. Sheets and Bogaerts grounded out. That was it for Ohtani on the mound. Anthony Banda replaced him in the second. 'I think I got the best seat in the house to watch it and to watch this guy start and then take an at-bat,' Roberts said. 'This is bananas. I'm thrilled.' Major League Baseball made the game available for free on streaming site The Japanese right-hander was pitching in a big league game about three weeks after facing hitters in simulated at-bats for the first time. All the while, Ohtani was still wielding his powerful bat in the lineup for the NL West leaders. 'It got to the point where, hey, it feels like we should take that next step and almost look to finish the rehab at the major league level because of the taxing nature of what he was doing,' Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes said. Typically, pitchers returning from injuries go on minor league rehab assignments, but Ohtani is an exception. 'It's been really encouraging overall the way he's bounced back and been able to continue to feel good doing both,' Gomes said. Roberts said: 'You've got to hear the player and trust the player.' Roberts briefly considered not having Ohtani bat leadoff, but the slugger assured his manager he was fine with it. 'It could change going forward,' Roberts said, 'but right now he feels very comfortable with taking the mound and coming in the dugout and getting on his stuff to go take an at-bat.' Gomes acknowledged the team is in a unique situation, trying to balance Ohtani's offensive prowess with his pitching ability while erring on the side of caution. 'We don't know how he's going to come out, if his legs are going to be tired. We have to make sure that we're also keeping one of our best hitters in the lineup,' Gomes said. 'It has to be an ongoing conversation and making sure that Shohei is the one driving this conversation.' The three-time MVP began the night batting .290 with 25 homers, which led the National League, 41 RBIs and 11 stolen bases in the leadoff spot. While Ohtani won't be throwing deep into games at first, just his presence on the mound figures to bolster a staff that has been decimated by injuries. The Dodgers have eight starters, including Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell and Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki, and six relievers on the injured list. Roberts said he and the coaches would watch Ohtani's command, delivery, and ability to repeat his mechanics. 'Like he always does, he's going to give everything he has and we expect a high-quality outing,' Gomes said. Ohtani is already on the roster as the designated hitter, so the Dodgers are essentially adding an extra pitcher without having to make a corresponding roster move. 'It's not going to be a once-every-five-day situation, so there's going to be plenty of time to recover,' Roberts said. 'We also have the luxury of pitching him as much as we want as far as in a particular outing.' Ohtani helped the Dodgers win their eighth World Series title — and his first — last season, the first of a $700 million, 10-year contract. He earned his third MVP award and first in the National League. He hadn't pitched since 2023 with the Los Angeles Angels. He was 10-5 with a 3.14 ERA and 167 strikeouts in 23 starts that season. His last mound appearance was on Aug. 23, 2023, when he got hurt during an outing against Cincinnati. Ohtani had Tommy John surgery on Oct. 1, 2018, and is recovering from a second major operation on his right elbow Sept. 19, 2023. As a pitcher, he entered 38-19 with a 3.01 ERA and 608 strikeouts in 481 2/3 innings during his major league career. 'The main goal is obviously to have him strong down the stretch run and through October,' Gomes said.


Fox Sports
2 hours ago
- Fox Sports
'Feeling Good': Ohtani Makes Dodgers Pitching Debut, Gives Up 1 Run
Shohei Ohtani gave up a pair of two-strike hits and a run in his Los Angeles Dodgers pitching debut against the San Diego Padres on Monday night, 21 months after the two-way superstar had elbow surgery. Ohtani threw 28 pitches — 16 for strikes — in the first inning as fans hung on every one of them. They oohed when a fastball was clocked at 100.2 mph — the second-hardest pitch thrown by a Dodgers hurler this season. Ohtani appeared to be laboring on the mound, his face sweaty. He warmed up to his usual music, Michael Bublé's version of "Feeling Good." After retiring Xander Bogaerts on a grounder for the third out, Ohtani walked over to an umpire who checked his hands and glove. He didn't enter the dugout. Instead, he put on his batting gloves and other equipment near the railing and walked to the on-deck circle to prepare to lead off the bottom of the inning. Ohtani struck out swinging against Padres starter Dylan Cease, but then tied the score at 1 with an RBI double to left-center in the third. "He's ready, he's adamant, he feels good, strong, ready to pitch a major league game," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before the game. "I think everyone in that clubhouse, I think the fans, media, we've been waiting for this moment." Ohtani faced Fernando Tatis Jr., Luis Arraez, Manny Machado, Gavin Sheets and Bogaerts in the first. Tatis flared a single to center field and went to second on Ohtani's wild pitch. Arráez singled and Machado's sacrifice fly scored Tatis. Sheets and Bogaerts grounded out. That was it for Ohtani on the mound. Anthony Banda replaced him in the second. "I think I got the best seat in the house to watch it and to watch this guy start and then take an at-bat," Roberts said. "This is bananas. I'm thrilled." Major League Baseball made the game available for free on streaming site The Japanese right-hander was pitching in a big league game about three weeks after facing hitters in simulated at-bats for the first time. All the while, Ohtani was still wielding his powerful bat in the lineup for the NL West leaders. "It got to the point where, hey, it feels like we should take that next step and almost look to finish the rehab at the major league level because of the taxing nature of what he was doing," Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes said. Typically, pitchers returning from injuries go on minor league rehab assignments, but Ohtani is an exception. "It's been really encouraging overall the way he's bounced back and been able to continue to feel good doing both," Gomes said. Roberts said: "You've got to hear the player and trust the player." Roberts briefly considered not having Ohtani bat leadoff, but the slugger assured his manager he was fine with it. "It could change going forward," Roberts said, "but right now he feels very comfortable with taking the mound and coming in the dugout and getting on his stuff to go take an at-bat." Gomes acknowledged the team is in a unique situation, trying to balance Ohtani's offensive prowess with his pitching ability while erring on the side of caution. "We don't know how he's going to come out, if his legs are going to be tired. We have to make sure that we're also keeping one of our best hitters in the lineup," Gomes said. "It has to be an ongoing conversation and making sure that Shohei is the one driving this conversation." The three-time MVP began the night batting .290 with 25 homers, which led the National League, 41 RBIs and 11 stolen bases in the leadoff spot. While Ohtani won't be throwing deep into games at first, just his presence on the mound figures to bolster a staff that has been decimated by injuries. The Dodgers have eight starters, including Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell and Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki, and six relievers on the injured list. Roberts said he and the coaches would watch Ohtani's command, delivery, and ability to repeat his mechanics. "Like he always does, he's going to give everything he has and we expect a high-quality outing," Gomes said. Ohtani is already on the roster as the designated hitter, so the Dodgers are essentially adding an extra pitcher without having to make a corresponding roster move. "It's not going to be a once-every-five-day situation, so there's going to be plenty of time to recover," Roberts said. "We also have the luxury of pitching him as much as we want as far as in a particular outing." Ohtani helped the Dodgers win their eighth World Series title — and his first — last season, the first of a $700 million, 10-year contract. He earned his third MVP award and first in the National League. He hadn't pitched since 2023 with the Los Angeles Angels. He was 10-5 with a 3.14 ERA and 167 strikeouts in 23 starts that season. His last mound appearance was on Aug. 23, 2023, when he got hurt during an outing against Cincinnati. Ohtani had Tommy John surgery on Oct. 1, 2018, and is recovering from a second major operation on his right elbow Sept. 19, 2023. As a pitcher, he entered 38-19 with a 3.01 ERA and 608 strikeouts in 481 2/3 innings during his major league career. "The main goal is obviously to have him strong down the stretch run and through October," Gomes said. Reporting by The Associated Press. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani made his starting pitching debut vs. San Diego Padres. recommended Get more from Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more