Aleksandre LOLADZE (GEO) settled for a bittersweet silver medal in the 2023 Junior World Championships but the number one seed in Tajikistan will be hoping to best his previous result and take the -81kg title. Motivating him even more will be his recent silver medal in the Junior European Championships where he suffered defeat at the hands of Suleyman SHUKUROV (AZE), the third seed next week. However the entire European podium; Igor TSURKAN (UKR) and Luka JAVAKHISHVILI (GEO) are taking space in the top eight, joined by Dominic RODRIGUEZ (USA), Erzhan KANATBEKOV (KGZ) and Luan ALMEIDA (BRA). Outside of the seeds and one of the youngest athletes is Boris RUTOVIC (SRB) who has made the move to juniors after completely his European and world collection as a cadet in 2023.
The -70kg category is equally diverse with top athletes from around the world sharing the seeded places, and some of Europe’s strongest contenders join them. April Lynn FOHOU (SUI) managed a satisfying 5th place in the 2023 Junior World Championships but in the past year has honed her abilities, winning the Junior European Championships and holding the #2 spot in the world ranking list. In the top four positions she is joined by the 2023 world bronze medallist Elena DENGG (AUT), who skipped the European Championships to prepare for her performance in Tajikistan. Another bronze medallist who was also missing from the European line up is Kaja SCHUSTER, who has instead been testing herself on the senior circuit, placing 5th most recently in the Zagreb Grand Prix. It seems that Team Serbia are intent on giving their youngsters the best opportunities and have entered Aleksandra ANDRIC, with a cadet world and European title already to her name, she impressed her opponents in Tallinn by claiming the bronze medal and will undoubtedly be taking that experience with her as the athletes head east.
We needn’t look for Serbian outsiders in the -90kg category as the WRL #2 and current Junior European Champion, Miljan RADULJ. Already claiming two Junior European bronze medals, the determination was great, but his preparation even better for Tallinn, and as he is missing a junior world medal from his collection, the motivation will be tremendous. In the case of the -90kg category, the outlier comes from Azerbaijan but with a very familiar name. The Junior European silver medallist, Aslan KOTSOEV can boast a World and Olympic Champion brother in the -100kg category, Zelym. Clearly the judo talent runs in the family as Zelyms younger counterpart is picking up major medals. Azerbaijan have double the luck and double the chance of medals as European bronze medallist, Tuncay SHAMIL is a great contender as well.
Europe have a strong hold in this weight, with Oleksii BOLDYRIEV (SLO), Michal WASIKOWSKI (POL), Floris DEN HARTOG (NED), Ivan KUTENKOV (UKR) and Vadim GHIMBOVSCHI (MDA) are arguably at some advantage with seeded positions but they all have one target, the world ranked number one and defending Junior World Champion, KAWABATA Komei (JPN).
Author: Thea Cowen