Wales’ Judo Ace Powell Suffers Shock Defeat At Worlds

Natalie Powell admitted she messed up after a shock defeat at the World Judo Championships in Baku.

The Builth Wells judoka saw her dream of at least matching last year’s bronze medal ended with a third round defeat.

Powell, ranked No 2 in the world in the women’s -78kg class, lost in Azerbaijan to 14th ranked Slovenian Klara Apotekar.

The 27-year-old said: “The training’s being going really good, had nothing to moan about or worry about. It just hasn’t come together.”

“I messed up, I just messed up.

“I haven’t had a chance to think about it yet, for a few months things have been going well, I didn’t have any issues. I just lost.

“I know about this level and I know I can beat these girls when I am fighting my best. But I got caught.”

Powell had started her worlds campaign with a comfortable second round victory over Sarah Myriam Mazouz from Gabon.

But despite a bright start against the Slovenian with a place in the quarter-finals at stake, Powell was thrown for an Nippon with two minutes on the clock.