The three-day Grand Prix event in Zagreb between the 13th and 15th of September will see 325 athletes from 40 nations compete. This is the opening event for the IJF World Judo Tour, marking the start of a new Olympiad and the birth of new goals and dreams of a whole new generation.
They may be younger, but some of these names we already know. In the -60kg category, Turan BAYRAMOV of Azerbaijan fought to take over team mate Balabay AGHAYEV for the Olympic spot, but the younger of the two just fell short. Now he is the leading male athlete of the entire event, let alone his weight category. Ranked #17 in the world, there is still work to be done, but Bayramov is a strong contender in the Azerbaijan team. He will be joined in the top four by Michel AUGUSTO (BRA), Artem LESIUK (UKR) and team mate, Ahmed YUSIFOV, demonstrating depth within the team.
In the -66kg category, the playing field is a little more even, with the top six seeded athletes all sitting around the same place on the world ranking list. Led by European Championship bronze medallist, PONGRACZ Bence (HUN), it will be an exciting and dynamic category for day one entertainment. Second seed is Ruslan PASHAYEV (AZE) who will be one to watch, jumping straight from European Cup medals to a Grand Slam bronze in Tbilisi this year. However there is tough competition from outside of Europe with Canada’s Julien FRASCADORE, Zhanarys RAKHMETKALI (KAZ) and Ari BERLINER (USA). In the remaining seeded spots we have Great Britain’s Charlie YOUNG and the 2023 Junior European Champion, Tengo ZIRAKASHVILI (GEO).
The men’s -73kg category will be gruelling with tremendous talents including Jack YONEZUKA (USA) leading the pack and European silver medallist, Giovanni ESPOSITO (ITA) not far behind, but the threat is threaded throughout the category, the likes of European Open Championship medallist Dardan CENA (KOS) and Grand Slam medallist Maxime GOBERT (FRA) who has changed categories are waiting in the wings for their moment of glory.
Leading the -81kg category are breakthrough talents; Mykhailo SVIDRAK (UKR) and Adam KOPECKY (CZE), and are ahead by a stretch in the ranking positions, followed by Bernd FASCHING (AUT), who prior to the Olympic Games, had proven himself an exciting judoka to follow, with European Open achievements as well as placing on the IJF World Tour and World Championships. That being said, it is a category of strong contenders and great judoka; with Victor STERPU (MDA) and Arnaud AREGBA (FRA).
Azerbaijan are sending a strong team to Zagreb, and in the -90kg category, the national competition will undoubtedly go in to the next Olympiad, but for this week, Vugar TALIBOV will be the responsible athlete. He is joined by other young talents trying to make their way up the rosters; SAFRANY Peter (HUN), Giorgi JABNIASHVILI (GEO) and Mark VAN DIJK (NED), as well as -81kg judoka, Mihail LATISEV (MDA).
One of Hungary’s rising stars is VEG Zsombor, and now that he had a taste of the Olympic Games, he will be hungrier than ever to get back on the tatami to prepare for Los Angeles. The entry may not be so dense in the -100kg category, but the opposition is tough. Simeon CATHARINA (NED) is the number two seed, followed by talented judoka; Anton SAVYTSKIY (UKR) and Rhys THOMPSON (GBR). Then we welcome in the French duo, Francis DAMIER and Marc Francois NGAYAP. As if this is still not enough, home favourite, Marko KUMRIC and Italy’s promising future, Jean CARLETTI are rallying below. At the very bottom we see heavyweight Johannes FREY (GER) who embarked on his comeback this year following surgery, and is seemingly testing the waters in the lighter category, where his brother, Karl-Richard used to be housed.
Closing out the men’s categories are the +100kg judoka. The dutch competition continues with Jelle SNIPPE and Jur SPIJKERS, who hold the top two places, and according to ranking positions could likely have a face off in the final. That is of course if they can stay the course and stand up to their opponents, but with Japanese entry, NAKANO Kanta and Poland’s Grzegorz TERESINSKI, this might not be such an easy ride. The latter was dealt the unfortunate final in the Madrid European Open with Teddy RINER (FRA) prior to the Olympic Games and stunned the crowd by throwing the judo legend in the opening moments. Returning to competition he must be fuelled and motivated knowing that the opportunity to succeed against the top is well within his reach.
The draw will take place on the 12th of September online at 14:00 local time.
Judoka
Author: Thea Cowen