The Cuban women Sheyla Hernández and Ariagna Hechavarría won gold and bronze medals respectively at the World Judo Championships in Ibiza, held in Georgia.

This Saturday Hernández, in the +70 kilogrammes (kg), J2 category, claimed the title by defeating Italy’s Carolina Costa in the final, highlights the digital edition of JIT.

It highlights that the bout was a rematch of the final of the 2022 Baku World Championships, in which the judoka from the eastern province of Holguín ended with the silver medal due to an immobilisation.

JIT highlights that this time she went ahead with a yuko, but her opponent reacted and managed to level the scores.

With the score level, Hernández reacted with a waza-ari and then immobilised her on the tatami to take the victory by ippon, making her world champion for the first time.

This meant the third medal at world events for the Cuban, who had also obtained a bronze in Astana 2025, a result to which is added the silver achieved at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

For her part, Hechavarría (+70 kg/ J1) took the bronze, matching her performance in Astana.

The bronze-winning victory was by ippon against Indonesia’s Siyamsih Siyamsih, when the scoreboard showed an advantage in her favour by waza-ari.

JIT also highlights that with these results both launched their candidacies for the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games.

Coach Ivis Dueñas expressed her satisfaction with the results and explained that «they are the product of the discipline of both athletes and the effort, sacrifice and perseverance of all this time.»