BAKU: Daria Bilodid of Ukraine made judo history on Thursday by becoming the youngest world champion at the age of 17.

Bilodid, aged exactly 17 years and 345 days, secured the world title in the under 48kg category when she beat Japan’s defending champion Funa Tonaki by ippon.

Before Bilodid the record had been held by Japan’s Ryoko Tani, who claimed the first of her seven world titles at the age of 18 years and 27 days, in 1993.

Bilodid, whose father Gennadiy is a two-time world judo champion in the lightweight category (73kg), made her mark on the sport last year when, aged 16, she became the second youngest European champion in history.

Tonaki was awarded the silver medal while Argentina’s Paula Pareto, the Olympic champion and 2015 world champion, and Kazakhstani Otgontsetseg Galbadrakh took the bronze medals.

Published in Dawn, September 21st, 2018