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It has been a while since we’ve seen the double Olympic Champion, Lasha BEKAURI (GEO) on the tatami, but many are excited to see the Georgian hero back in action. He will be leading the category this year, and though he already hold a European title, he is looking for another after the silver medal finish in 2023, and bronze in 2024. Bekauri’s win in 2021 was a moment of fate for the then, 20 year old, this result deciding who would represent Georgia in the -90kg category in Tokyo.
Defeating Bekauri in the 2023 final was Nemanja MAJDOV (SRB) who will take the second seeded position this year. Majdov took second place last years World Champion but has been one of the most consistently high ranked athletes in this category after soaring to the World Champion heights in 2017.
Sandwiching Majdov in the event ranking is Luka MAISURADZE (GEO), the 2023 World Champion. Since his return to the tatami Maisuradze has claimed two Grand Slam silver medals in Tokyo and Paris. Also in the top eight we have Olympic bronze medallists, Theodoros TSELIDIS (GRE) and Maxime-Gael NGAYAP HAMBOU (FRA).
Eduard TRIPPEL (GER) is making a slow and steady rise, the 2021 Olympic silver medallist made his first appearance since the Paris Olympics in Dubrovnik this month, taking a silver in the senior cup event.
Though we’re engrossed in the Senior European Championships, we will also be celebrating the U23 European Championships in Moldova this year, and in this category, the current U23 European Champion, Mihail LATISEV is from that nation. He mightn’t be ranked highly but he is transitioning from the -81kg category.
Judoka
Author: Thea Cowen