Vallim and Babaicenko Take Dakar’s Final Judo Golds

Two gold medals completed Dakar 2026’s Judo programme on 3 November, with Brazil’s Clarisse Vallim winning the women’s -78 kg event and Lithuania’s Tajus Babaicenko taking the men’s -100 kg title. Burundi also had a bronze medallist in Don de Dieu Igiraneza.

Babaicenko finished ahead of Uzbekistan’s Jurabek Eshpulatov. Their final remained close until a late yuko gave the Lithuanian the score he needed. Japan’s Naito Arai joined Igiraneza on the bronze medal podium.

For Vallim, the route to gold involved turning defence into a finish. Russia’s Anastasiia Dobrovolskaia threatened on the ground, but the Brazilian stayed in the contest and eventually secured a hold-down for ippon. Dobrovolskaia took silver, while Austria’s Selina Woegerer and China’s Yue Cheng received bronze. Woegerer won her medal contest by ippon; Cheng’s opponent, Kayla Pita Zorrilla, was unable to compete.

Igiraneza’s medal came after he had fallen behind against Tajikistan’s Asmar Sharif. The Burundian kept searching for an opening and found the decisive throw for ippon, reversing the contest before time ran out.

The closing results completed three days of Judo at the Youth Olympic Games. The programme ran from 1 to 3 November and featured eight weight categories, with four events each for male and female judoka.

Source: IJF.org

Image source: IJF / International Judo Federation