Moldovan judokas Dorin Mihu, Vadim Bunescu and Denis Vieru lost to the future awardees of the World Judo Championships held in Baku, IPN reports.

Initially, Dorin Mihu scored a victory in the 60 kg weight class against a Kyrgyz athlete, but was then defeated by the future world champion Naohisa Takato of Japan.

In the 66 kg class, Denis Vieru beat the athletes from New Zealand and Mozambican, but was stopped by Japan’s Abe Hifumi, who also became world champion.

Vadim Bunescu won two victories in the 66 kg class, but was eliminated by Yerlan Serikzhanov of Kazakhstan, who became world vice champion.

Iulian Peatikovski and Victor Șterpu are to contend in the 73 kg class. At the competition in Azerbaijan, Moldova is also represented by Dorin Goțonoagă.