Fact Check: "Joan-Benjamin Gaba won the -73 kg category at the 2025 World Judo Championships in Budapest by scoring a waza-ari in golden score."
What We Know
The 2025 World Judo Championships took place from June 13 to June 20, 2025, at the László Papp Sports Arena in Budapest, Hungary. This event included various weight categories for both men and women, with Joan-Benjamin Gaba competing in the men's -73 kg category. Reports confirm that Gaba won this category, marking a significant achievement for France, as it was the country's 60th world title in judo (source-2, source-5).
In the final match, Gaba faced Brazilian judoka Daniel Cargnin. The match was described as tense and finely balanced, with Gaba ultimately winning in golden score, which is a sudden-death extension period used in judo matches when the score is tied at the end of regulation (source-3, source-4).
Analysis
The claim that Joan-Benjamin Gaba won the -73 kg category at the 2025 World Judo Championships by scoring a waza-ari in golden score is partially supported by the available evidence. While it is confirmed that Gaba won the title and that the victory occurred in golden score, the specific detail regarding the scoring method (waza-ari) is not explicitly mentioned in the primary sources.
The sources reporting on Gaba's victory include reputable outlets such as the International Judo Federation and Euronews, which are generally reliable for sports news. However, the specific scoring details of the match (whether it was a waza-ari or another scoring method) are not clearly documented in the available articles (source-3, source-5).
Given that the claim includes a specific scoring method (waza-ari), which is a critical aspect of the judo scoring system, the lack of explicit confirmation from multiple sources raises questions about the accuracy of this detail.
Conclusion
Needs Research. While it is confirmed that Joan-Benjamin Gaba won the -73 kg category at the 2025 World Judo Championships in Budapest and did so in golden score, the specific detail regarding the scoring method (waza-ari) remains unverified. Further investigation into match reports or official scoring documentation is necessary to confirm this aspect of the claim.