The draw is completed. The three-day Baku Grand Slam will commence tomorrow in Azerbaijan with many of the top elite athletes seeking glory in the Heydar Aliyev Arena.
As expected, Azerbaijan have entered their top team, including world medallists, Hidayat HEYDAROV (-73kg) and Zelym KOTSOIEV (-100kg) but will of course be targeting a greater gain on home soil.
The line up is star studded to say the very least, peppered with world and Olympic medallists collecting their ranking points for Paris 2024, a cycle we are well in to now and with the goal of the athletes to be in the best tactical position.
Alongside the usual big names, there will be focus on the -70kg world silver medallist Lara CVJETKO (CRO) after an incredible performance in Tashkent securing her position on the senior circuit as one of the future stars to watch out for as well as her team mate Petrunjela PAVIC in the -78kg category who just secured her U23 European title in Sarajevo last week.
Competition starts tomorrow at 08:00 CEST, follow the tatamis every day at live.ijf.org.
Judoka
Author: Thea Cowen