The Paris 2024 Olympian exits with her head held high. Multiple African senior and junior champion, Aina Laura Rasoanaivo Razafy, was eliminated in the round of 32 of the -70 kg category at the World Championships yesterday in Baku, Azerbaijan. The 22-year-old, ranked 22nd in the world and silver medalist at the 2025 Qingdao Grand Prix in China, fell to 28-year-old German Giovanna Scoccimarra, who is ranked 20th globally. On paper, the German was superior and more experienced, having won gold at the Prague European Open on June 27 and silver at the Mont-Olivet Grand Slam in Lausanne, Switzerland, on August 28.
A silver medalist at the Johannesburg Open in June and a bronze medalist at the African Championships in April, Laura made an impressive start yesterday by finishing her first fight with an ippon in just four seconds against 27-year-old Romanian Serafima Moscalu, ranked 28th in the world. The Romanian’s record includes bronze medals at the Hungary Grand Slam in September, the Lima Grand Slam in August, and the Prague Open in June. The country’s third representative, Hajanirina Zo Andriambolona, will conclude Madagascar’s participation this Friday in the -78 kg category. At 31 years old, Zo is ranked 54th in the world and finished 5th at the last African Championships. In 2025, she won gold at the Dakar Open in March and silver at the Abidjan Open.
Captured & Published at: 2026-10-09 06:38:33 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/10/judo-mondiaux-laura-rasoanaivo-tombe-en.html