World Ranking Leader U90kg Sanshiro Murao

Sanshiro Murao has established himself as one of the leading figures in the U90kg division and finished 2025 as the number one athlete in the IJF World Ranking. The Japanese judoka combines classical technique with powerful attacks and has become one of the most consistent performers on the World Judo Tour.

Murao first gained global attention with strong results on the international circuit, including victories at the Grand Slam in Kazan in 2021 and the Grand Slam in Paris in 2022. In the same year he also captured the IJF Masters title in Jerusalem and won the Asian Championships, confirming his rapid rise among the elite of the category.

His momentum continued with gold at the Grand Slam in Budapest in 2022 and another major victory at the Grand Slam in Tokyo in 2023. At the 2023 World Championships in Doha he added a bronze medal, further strengthening his reputation as a consistent medal contender.

The following year brought further success. Murao won the Grand Slam in Antalya in 2024 and again claimed the Asian title. At the Paris 2024 Olympic Games he delivered one of the highlights of his career by reaching the final and securing the Olympic silver medal.

In 2025 he achieved the greatest triumph of his career by becoming world champion in Budapest. Combined with victories such as the Grand Slam in Baku that same year, these results propelled Murao to the top of the world ranking by the end of the season.

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