NAME: Denis VIERU
COUNTRY: MOLDOVA
CATEGORY: -66KG
POINTS: 7484
This has finally been the year of Denis VIERU. Known for his stunning judo and ability to take the contest well past the regular time, the Moldovan can end the year hailing the number one world ranking position.
As one of the lightweight categories we aren’t only discussing strength, stamina and technique but also the incredible speed of these men, which is usually the difference between a win and a loss. Vieru’s recent performance in the Jerusalem Masters was evidence of this, especially in his bronze medal contest using his swift ashi waza.
Vieru’s ascent to the top of the -66kg category is somewhat unsurprising given his talents but the competition is stiff, however he has staved off defeat and this has been his most successful year to date. Since opening the year with gold in Portugal’s Grand Prix debut, he collected three grand slam golds in Antalya, Tbilisi and Baku, scored with his second world bronze medal in Tashkent and of course finished 2022 in style with his Masters success. Now, on to the next one…
Judoka
Author: Thea Cowen