Two fights, one victory. The first Malagasy representative, Natacha Emiliame Razafindrakalo, was eliminated in the round of 16 at the Senior World Championships held from October 4 to 10 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Competing in the -48 kg category, 23-year-old Natacha, ranked 61st in the world, lost her second match yesterday to China’s Zhuang Wenna, a 25-year-old ranked 4th globally. The latter is a gold medalist from the Qingdao Grand Prix in June, a silver medalist from the Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam in the same month, and a bronze medalist from the Dushanbe Grand Slam in May.
Natacha, for her part, won gold at the Johannesburg Open in June and the Pretoria Open in April 2025, and finished seventh at the African Championships in April. In her first match in the round of 32, Natacha defeated 26-year-old Azerbaijani Hamidova Shafag, ranked 34th in the world, who finished fifth at the Senior European Championships in April and the Kazakhstan Grand Slam in May.
Paris Olympian Aina Laura Rasoanaivo Razafy, 22, from JC Saint Michel, competing in the -70 kg category, will take to the tatami on Thursday, October 8. Ranked 22nd in the world, Laura won silver at the Johannesburg Open in June and bronze at the African Championships in April.
The final Malagasy representative, 31-year-old Hajanirina Zo Andriambolona from JC Saint Michel, will compete in the -78 kg category on Friday, October 9. She is currently ranked 54th in the world. Zo finished 5th at the last African summit. In 2025, she secured gold at the Dakar Open in March and silver at the Abidjan Open.
Captured & Published at: 2026-10-05 06:23:46 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/10/judo-championnat-du-monde-natacha.html