The men’s -55kg was the first of this year’s Championships which went to three rounds, and it was a captivating contest as both athletes were fully committed and scored highly.
After a close start to the first round, Mohtarami pulled clear of his opponent to ultimately take it 18-7. However, Kazakhstan’s Nurali Makhmut showed great resilience in the second, and a late body kick to make it 11-9 was enough to force a decider.
The final round swung both ways, but it was Mohtarami who prevailed 14-12.
Haoran Tang of China and AIN’s Azat Besaev won two bronzes.