Matthias Casse takes silver at World Judo Championships

Belgium's Matthias Casse finished second in the half middleweight final at the World Judo Championships on Wednesday, losing to Georgia's Tato Grigalashvili. Grigalashvili extended his world title in Doha, while Casse had to settle for silver for the third time in his career.

Casse faced his biggest rival of recent years in the final, having lost to him in last year's final in Tashkent. He beat Grigalashvili in the bronze medal re-match at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics and in the World Championships final in Budapest the same year. 

The 26-year-old Casse was competing in his fifth senior World Championships, having previously won silver in 2019, gold in 2021 and silver in 2022. "I am totally ready to reclaim my world title," he said at a press conference in Belgium ahead of the tournament. "Matthias is a super professional and so very ambitious: silver would be a disappointment for him," said Judo Flanders coach Udo Quellmalz. 

^{#FlandersNewsService | Georgia's Tato Grigalashvili (white) and Belgium's Matthias Casse compete in the men's -81kg final at the 2023 World Judo Championship in Doha © KARIM JAAFAR / AFP}