A World Final Earned the Hard Way for Spain’s David Garcia Torne

David Garcia Torne delivered the biggest result of his career at the 2026 World Judo Championships in Baku, taking men’s -66kg silver for Spain. Moldova’s Denis Vieru also reached the podium, adding another world bronze, while Japan’s Hifumi Abe claimed the title.

Garcia Torne’s route to the final began with a serious warning. Narmandakh Bayanmunkh of the UAE threw the Spaniard with Uchi-mata less than a minute into their opening contest, scoring Waza-ari and coming close to ending his tournament immediately.

But Garcia Torne responded without hesitation. He attacked back and produced an Ippon, keeping his World Championships alive after a difficult start.

The path did not become simpler. Garcia Torne won his next three contests by a single Yuko, including victories over Mongolia’s experienced Baskhuu Yondonperenlei and Olympic medallist Vieru. Each contest demanded another solution as the pressure of the draw increased.

His medal run came after a troubled preparation. Garcia Torne told the EJU that an elbow injury had prevented him from training normally, leaving uncertainty over how he would feel in Baku. He approached the event contest by contest, adapting his judo around techniques he could not use.

Garcia Torne turned an injury-hit build-up into his first World Championships final.

That cautious approach did not mean defensive judo. Garcia Torne said his mentality remained focused on winning rather than protecting a lead, and that mindset carried him all the way to the final.

There, he faced Abe, the Japanese double Olympic champion and one of the defining -66kg judoka of the era. Abe had been pushed through the earlier rounds by France’s Kelvin Ray, Serbia’s Marko Jorgic and Italy’s Valerio Accogli before defeating reigning world champion Takeshi Takeoka in an all-Japanese semi-final with two Yuko scores.

The final itself was brief. Abe found the opening he had been searching for and threw Garcia Torne with Seoi-nage for Ippon after one minute, securing his fifth world title.

For Garcia Torne, the loss was painful, but the scale of the breakthrough was clear. Reaching a world final was a new experience for the Spaniard, and his silver ensured Europe had a place in the -66kg title contest. Vieru completed the European presence on the podium with bronze, alongside Takeoka.

The men’s -66kg medals in Baku went to Abe with gold, Garcia Torne with silver, and Vieru and Takeoka with bronze.

Source: EJU.net

Image source: EJU / European Judo Union