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Liparteliani makes history for Georgia as Gaba claims gold on unforgettable Day 3 in Budapest
Welcome to day 3 of the OTP Bank World Judo Championships here in Budapest!
In the -57 kg, World bronze and silver medallist Momo TAMAOKI was here to finally claim the elusive World title. She fought her way through the preliminaries and earned her place in the final for the second time.
There she met Georgia's Eteri LIPARTELIANI, a rising star who made it to her first World final after an outstanding day of judo. She impressed the crowd with her big techniques and fearless approach to every contest. With momentum on her side and the world title within reach, she stepped onto the tatami ready to challenge for gold.
In the final, it was LIPARTELIANI who dominated the contest, controlling the pace from the very beginning. With two big waza-ari scores she left no doubt as to who deserved the victory, earning herself the coveted red backpatch. In front of a roaring Budapest crowd, she delivered the performance of her career and etched her name into the history books as she became the first ever female World Champion for Georgia. A truly landmark moment for her and her country.
Former President of Croatia & IOC Member Mrs Kolinda GRABAR-KITAROVIC awarded the medals.
In the -73 kg, Joan-Benjamin GABA was having the best run of his career, scoring ippon in every contest on his way to the final. It was no holds barred from the Frenchman, who fought with fearless commitment, determined to make this his moment. With nothing to lose and everything to gain, GABA's eyes were fixed on one goal - walking away with the world title.
In the final he would face Daniel CARGNIN who was looking to upgrade his previous bronze to gold. Could the Brazilian take the top spot?
The pressure was on in golden score and the first point would win the title. A waza-ari from GABA was enough to claim the top spot on the podium. A golden moment that crowned the performance of a lifetime. A fearless run to the top of the world.
ANOCA President & IOC Member Mr Mustapha BERRAF awarded the medals.
From beautiful Budapest, that's all for Day 3.
Iran launched a new wave of missile attacks on Israel early on Monday, triggering air raid sirens across the country as emergency services reported projectiles striking and shrapnel falling in Israel's north and centre, wounding at least 67 people.
Authorities in the central Israeli city of Petah Tikva near Tel Aviv said that Iranian missiles had hit a residential building there, charring concrete walls, blowing out windows and heavily damaging multiple apartments.
There was no immediate word on the number of casualties from that strike as rescuers searched through the ruins.
Over 230 people are reported dead across Israel and Iran since Israel launched its first strikes on Friday, leading to an ongoing exchange of attacks with no end in sight.
On Sunday night, emergency responders were still struggling to contain fires started by strikes on the northern port city of Haifa.
In Haifa, an oil refinery was damaged, the firm operating it said. Israel's main international airport and airspace was closed for a third day.
Iran raised its death toll on Sunday to 224 people. Health authorities also reported that 1,277 were wounded, without distinguishing between military officials and civilians.
Claiming to operate almost freely in the skies over Iran, Israel said its attacks Sunday hit Iran's Defence Ministry, missile launch sites and factories producing air defence components. Iran also acknowledged Israel had killed more of its top generals, including the Revolutionary Guard intelligence chief, Mohammad Kazemi.
But Israeli strikes have also extended beyond Iranian military installations to hit government buildings including the Foreign Ministry and several energy facilities, Iranian authorities said, most recently sparking fires Sunday at the Shahran oil depot north of Tehran and a fuel tank south of the city.
The strikes raised the prospect of a broader assault on Iran's heavily sanctioned energy industry that is vital to the global economy and markets.
Israel, which has aimed its missiles at Iran's rapidly advancing nuclear programme and military leadership, said Iran has fired over 270 missiles since Friday, 22 of which slipped through the country's sophisticated multi-tiered air defences and caused havoc in residential suburbs, killing 14 people and wounding 390 others.
Israel, the sole though undeclared nuclear-armed state in the Middle East, has said this attack — its most powerful ever against Iran — was to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.
The latest round of talks between the US and Iran on the future of Tehran's nuclear program had been scheduled Sunday in Oman but were cancelled after Israel's attack.
EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas will convene an emergency meeting of the 27-nation bloc's foreign ministers Tuesday to discuss the conflict between Israel and Iran.
The meeting, to be held via video link, 'will provide an opportunity for an exchange of views, coordination on diplomatic outreach to Tel Aviv and Tehran, and possible next steps,' Kallas' office said Sunday.
'We will continue to contribute to all diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions and to find a lasting solution to the Iranian nuclear issue which can only be through a negotiated deal,' it said.
US President Donald Trump in a social media post Sunday said that Iran and Israel 'should make a deal, and will make a deal,' comparing his efforts to agreements that had stopped hostilities between India and Pakistan and in other global hotspots.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said if Israeli strikes on Iran stop, then 'our responses will also stop.'
