The first medal contests of the 2025 World Judo Championships was the -48kg category bronze medal bout between Sabina GILIAZOVA (IJF) and Laura MARTINEZ ABELENDA (ESP). Both judoka were looking for their first senior world medal, however given their history it was hard to predict who would come out on top and stand on the podium.
Martinez came fifth in the 2019 World Championships held in Tokyo, but today she had a new fire. We expected a fierce contest between the pair, in the past four years they took one win each, though their first international head to head dates back to the Oberwart European Open in 2017. Today they tested their grit, and it was Martinez that came out on top, as Giliazova simply couldn’t keep up the offence and ceded the bronze medal, collecting three shidos.
I feel so happy now. I’m very proud of myself and my team today. It was a hard day, but we continued and finally we get a medal, so I think it’s perfect. I will be celebrating by I am getting married in the next few weeks so I will celebrate with everyone then!
It is an incredible personal achievement, but of course Martinez comes from a successful club based in Brunete, Spain. Dojo Quino is the casa to success stories including double World Champion, Nikoloz SHERAZADISHVILI, World Champion and Olympic medallist, Francisco GARRIGOS, and now their ‘Laurita’ has been added to the list. Aside from their talents on the tatami, the judoka in this club will attest their success to their sensei, 1991 World silver medallist, Joaquin RUIZ, more fondly known as Quino.
I’ve been with my coach since I was very young. For us, we are like a family, we are not like a coach and an athlete only. So, he feels so proud of me, I know. He wanted me to win.
It was an emotional day when Sherazadishvili took his world title in the 2018 World Championships in Baku, and today, Coach Quino was equally as proud.
Judoka
Author: Thea Cowen