Photo/Illutration Shohei Ono of Japan, throws Georgia’s Lasha Shavdatuashvili for a waza ari during their men's -73kg final of the judo match at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo on July 26. (The Asahi Shimbun)

Judo superstar Shohei Ono has won his second Olympic gold medal after an epic lightweight final against Georgia’s Lasha Shavdatuashvili.

Ono and Shavdatuashvili went 5:26 into golden score before the Japanese champion finally threw Shavdatuashvili for a waza ari. He used both legs to get Shavdatuashvili airborne and put him harshly onto his left side.

Shavdatuashvili showed no fear against Ono, who hasn’t lost a judo match since 2015. Ono was called for two penalties in golden score against the Georgian contender, who fought more aggressively and dramatically avoided being caught in a match-ending throw one minute before Ono ended it.

Ono is Japan’s fourth gold medalist in six weight classes so far in Tokyo in judo, the nation’s homegrown martial art. Japanese judokas have also won one silver and one bronze.

South Korea’s An Changrim claimed one bronze medal after a thrilling bout with Azeri No. 1 seed Rustam Orujov, and Mongolia’s Tsogtbaatar Tsend-Ochir claimed the other bronze.

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