Judo News · 2026-09-14 · TATSU WEAR Editorial
On 22 September 2018, An Chang-Rim ended nine years of Japanese dominance at U73kg by defeating defending champion Soichi Hashimoto in the World Champ Our take: this result shows momentum in judo news and sets up the next ranking cycle.
What Happened
On 22 September 2018, An Chang-Rim ended nine years of Japanese dominance at U73kg by defeating defending champion Soichi Hashimoto in the World Championships final in Baku. The Korean, born and raised in Japan, became the first non-Japanese world champion in the category since his compatriot Wang Ki-Chun in 2009. His victory was particularly significant because he had developed within the Japanes Based on source https://judoinside.com/news/8198/An_Chang_Rim_broke_Japans_grip_on_the_U73kg_world_title.
Additional context from the event.
Why It Matters
This result impacts rankings and next matchups. Our take: the field is tightening.
The Details
- Event: Recent Judo News event
- Result: See source
- Records: Updated
- Next: Upcoming Judo News calendar
What’s Next
Next events will clarify the picture. Follow Judo News for updates.
Source: Original source
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Source: Original source