Maria Laborde Posts Top-16 Result on Opening Day of Senior Worlds

(Colorado Springs, CO) – 2024 Olympian Maria Laborde (Kenosha, Wis. / NYAC / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center) won two matches with ippon throws to reach the round of 16 on the opening day of the OTP Bank World Senior Championships in Budapest on Friday.

2025 Senior World Championships Live Stream and Results

Laborde, 34, came into the event ranked No. 11 on the Senior World Ranking List in the women's 48 kg division and opened with a round of 64 match against 20-year-old Konul Aliyeva (AZE) – a 2024 Junior European Champion.

Competing in her sixth Senior World Championships, Laborde utilized that experience against the first-time Senior World competitor from Azerbaijan, throwing Aliyeva with a textbook tai otoshi (body drop) for ippon (instant win) in the third minute to take the match.

In the round of 32, Laborde threw Asmita Dey (IND) for an ippon seoi nage (one-arm shoulder throw) early in the fourth minute to take another instant victory and advance to the round of 16.

Laborde’s round of 16 would be a rematch of her 2025 Paris Grand Slam quarterfinal against Shirine Boukli (FRA) – World No. 2 and 2024 Olympic bronze medalist. Laborde held Boukli scoreless into Golden Score (sudden death overtime), but ultimately the Frenchwoman won the match on penalties en route to a fifth-place finish.

The other two American athletes in action on Friday both took their opening matches into Golden Score before losing.

Competing in his first Senior World Championships, 18-year-old reigning Cadet World Champion Jonathan Yang (Los Angeles, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team / L.A. Judo Club) received a bye into the round of 32 in the men's 60 kg competition where he faced 24-year-old Yolk Kazirbyek (MGL). The contest was scoreless and entered Golden Score before the Mongolian was able to secure a tate shiho gatame (mat hold) on Yang to score a yuko and claim the victory. Kazirbyek would go on to claim a bronze medal.

Also competing in the men's 60 kg division was David Terao (Falls Church, Va.) who faced World No. 18 and five-time Grand Slam medalist Magzhan Shamshadin (KAZ) in the round of 64. The scoreless contest went into the third minute of Golden Score before Terao picked up his third and disqualifying shido (penalty) for defensive posture. Shamshadin would advance to his second career top-seven finish at Senior Worlds.

Competition continues on Saturday with Ari Berliner (Schenectady, N.Y. / NYAC / Jason Morris Judo Center / 66 kg), Jenna Schurr (Torrance, Calif. / 52 kg) and Jacob Yang (Los Angeles, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team / L.A. Judo Club / 66 kg) competing for Team USA.

Friday's top eight and U.S. results are as follows:

Men’s 60 kg
1. Ryuju Nagayama (JPN)
2. Romain Valadier Picard (FRA)
3. Yolk Kazirbyek (MGL)
3. Ayub Bliev (IJF)
5. Michel Augusto (BRA)
5. Marton Andrasi (HUN)
7. Csanad Feczko (HUN)
7. Magzhan Shamshadin (KAZ)

Also Competed: Jonathan Yang (Los Angeles, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team / L.A. Judo Club), 0-1; David Terao (Falls Church, Va.), 0-1

Women’s 48 kg
1. Assunta Scutto (ITA)
2. Abiba Abuzhakynova (KAZ)
3. Laura Martinez Abelenda (ESP)
3. Wakana Koga (JPN)
5. Sabina Giliazova (IJF)
5. Shirine Boukli (FRA)
7. Chen-Hao Lin (TPE)
7. Tara Babulfath (SWE)

Also Competed: Maria Laborde (Kenosha, Wis. / NYAC / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center), 2-1