JAPAN, THE BIRTHPLACE OF JUDO, WAS SMOCKED DECEMBER 2 WHEN A DUTCHMAN, 28-YEAR-OLD ANTON GEESINK, WON THE WORLD JUDO CHAMPIONSHIPS IN PARIS. THIS 6FT 3IN, 17-STONE, FIFTH DAN - LAST YEAR'S EUROPEAN CHAMPION - BEAT KOJI SONE OF JAPAN WITH A MAT HOLD AND ENDED THAT COUNTRY'S MONOPOLY IN WORLD JUDO TITLES.

THIS VICTORY WAS THE END OF A WONDERFUL DAY FOR GEESINK WHO WON HIS BOUTS WITH ALL THREE OF THE JAPANESE TEAM. HIS SUCCESS WAS DESCRIBED BY KYUZO MIFUNE OF JAPAN, KNOWN AS THE 'GOD OF JUDO' AS "UNBELIEVABLE".

THIRD PLACE IN THE CHAMPIONSHIPS WAS TAKEN BY KOYA OF JAPAN WHO BEAT TONG PAE OF KOREA.

FIFTY-SEVEN COMPETITORS FROM 25 FOREIGN COUNTRIES TOOK PART IN THE CHAMPIONSHIPS - IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THEY HAD BEEN HELD OUTSIDE JAPAN.