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The men’s lineup may be great, but when we look at the women’s entry for the 2025 Paris Grand Slam, we’re actually looking at quite a few who medalled in the Olympic Games a matter of months ago. Without a doubt they now consider Paris a special place, but they’re prepared and ready to rock the stage in the Bercy Arena.
Distria KRASNIQI (KOS) already believed Paris to be a place that brought her great luck and great energy, the crowd suits her perfectly as she loves to perform in front of a huge, loud audience. They certainly backed her in the Olympic Games where she entered yet another Olympic final, this time leaving with silver in a new weight category only three years after her -48kg gold medal win in Tokyo. Krasniqi has topped the podium three times already in the Paris Grand Slam, and she’ll be hoping to stand on top of the podium for a fourth time.
Israel are sending some of their strongest competitors, Olympic silver medallists, Inbal LANIR and Raz HERSHKO. In the -78kg category, Lanir lost out to long-time rival and friend, Alice BELLANDI (ITA), and through her disappointment, still managed to celebrate her silver triumph with her team and supporters in the crowd, and was a wonderful example of finding victory in defeat. Similarly, Hershko left the Olympic Games with a silver medal in the +78kg category, and after a gruelling cycle it was certainly well deserved. Many will note that she is one of the smallest in the category, nevertheless she is mighty, and the current European Champion will intend to prove that this weekend.
Standing on the podium with Lanir was Patricia SAMPAIO (POR) who had a beautiful win against TAKAYAMA Rika (JPN) for the bronze medal, and again defeated a strong Japanese opponent, HAMADA Shori, for her Tokyo Grand Slam bronze medal last month. Again in the -78kg category, one of France’s heroines, Audrey TCHEUMEO, will be competing. Last year she claimed her fifth European title in 13 years, and unbelievably is going for a seventh Paris title this year. The double Olympic medallist and World Champion has a much different outlook on the sport since owe debut and it is allowing her to continue on her successful journey.
As for the lighter weights, the home crowd in the Bercy Arena will go crazy for Shirine BOUKLI, the Olympic bronze medallist, who could go head to head with Sweden’s youngest Olympic medallist, Tara BABULFATH.
Those daring in new categories this week include Serbia’s Milica NIKOLIC who is bounding up from -48kg to chance her luck as an -52kg competitor, and from further afield, Rafaela SILVA (BRA) is trying again in -63kg. The double World and Olympic Champion fell in round one in the Tokyo Grand Slam to Flavia FAVORINI, however she is riding right off the back of a tremendous performance in Tokyo, an individual fifth place but she took her team to the bronze medal position for a historic win.
Judoka
Author: Thea Cowen