How did Harsh Singh perform at World Judo Championships 2026?
Harsh Singh defeated several big names in Baku.
India’s Harsh Singh produced an impressive performance at the World Judo Championships 2026 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Despite entering the tournament as an underdog, the 23-year-old judoka pulled off two major upsets to reach the round of 16 in the men’s 60kg category.
Harsh entered the tournament ranked 83rd in the world, well outside the leading group. He faced a tough opening draw against Australia’s World No. 40 Pedro Carlos Antun Neto.
Despite the significant ranking gap, Harsh produced a convincing performance, securing a Waza-ari victory to progress to the second round. He then faced Ruslan Poltoratskii of Bahrain in the Round of 32.
Despite being just 20, Poltoratskii had already made his mark in 2026, winning the Asian Senior Judo Championships in Ordos, China, and rising to World No. 18.
However, Harsh produced another major upset, securing a Waza-ari victory over the Bahraini judoka to book his place in the pre-quarter-finals.
Harsh Singh falls to World No. 5 Yusifov
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Having secured a place in the pre-quarter-finals, Harsh faced Azerbaijan’s Ahmad Yusifov. The 27-year-old judoka is World No. 5 and has won medals twice at the European Judo Championships.
Yusifov proved a step too far for Harsh, who bowed out in the pre-quarter-final. He went on to the final, where he is scheduled to face Kazakhstan’s Sherzod Davlatov.
Despite the heartbreaking loss to Yusifov, Harsh’s terrific campaign marked yet another step in the right direction for the young Indian judoka. He recently won the gold medal in the men’s 60kg event at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland.
Despite this breakthrough, he was not selected for the Asian Games 2026. Still, Harsh has responded well to that omission with another solid campaign at the World Championships.
How did Harsh Singh perform at the World Judo Championships 2026?
Harsh reached the pre-quarterfinal in the men’s 60kg category after securing a couple of major upsets in Baku.
Who did Harsh Singh beat at the World Judo Championships 2026?
Harsh defeated Australia’s Pedro Carlos Antun Neto and Bahrain’s Ruslan Poltoratskii, winning both bouts by Waza-ari.
Who defeated Harsh Singh at the World Judo Championships 2026?
Azerbaijan’s Ahmad Yusifov defeated Harsh by Ippon in the pre-quarters.
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