Judo Grand Prix, Tbilisi 2014
Official Draw - PREVIEW
WOMEN
-48kg
Former Tokyo Grand Slam bronze medallist Amelie ROSSENEU (ISR) is the top seed on her debut for Israel while reigning Baku Grand Slam bronze medallist Sumeyye AKKUS (TUR) will be one of the names looking to dent her rivals chances of starting a new chapter in her career with success in Georgia. Kristina RUMYANTSEVA (RUS) finished fifth at the Tokyo Grand Slam last year and looks certain to push for honours this weekend if Russia’s women can continue their recent rich vein of results.
-52kg
Former world bronze medallist Natalia KUZIUTINA (RUS) has made a blistering start to her season with bronze at the Paris Grand Slam and most recently gold at the Dusseldorf Grand Prix. The top seed will be joined in action by London 2012 Olympic bronze medallist Rosalba FORCINITI (ITA) who makes only her second appearance since London having returned to action in October with a gold medal at the Rome European Open.
-57kg
Jeju Grand Prix bronze medallist Jovana ROGIC (SRB) will be the favourite as the number one seed in Tbilisi. Azerbaijan veteran Kifayat GASIMOVA (AZE) is still a force in the category while at the other end of her career 22-year-old Vlora BEDETI (SLO) is one of the brightest talents in the category and confirmed that tag by clinching bronze at the 2013 World Championships.
-63kg
World champion Yarden GERBI (ISR) took silver at the Dusseldorf Grand Prix last time out and will be expected to go all the way in Georgia on Saturday. The highly-active Hannah MARTIN (USA), who finished 2013 with bronze at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and started 2014 with the same colour medal at the Casablanca African Open, will be in action along with Almaty Grand Prix bronze medallist Nina MILOSEVIC (SLO) and Rome European Open bronze medallist Edwige GWEND (ITA).
-70kg
Top seed Lior WILDIKAN (ISR) is part of an imposing seven-strong women’s team from Israel. Qingdao Grand Prix bronze medallist Ekaterina DENISENKOVA (RUS) and Junior world champion Barbara MATIC (CRO) will also have their sights set on topping the medal podium on the second day of the competition.
-78kg
Anastasiya DMITRIEVA (RUS) is a frequent face on IJF medal podiums and with her consistency it is no surprise to see her start as the number one seed. Junior World Championships bronze medallist Brigita MATIC (CRO) could come to the fore during the Rio Olympic qualification period which starts in May and she could be tested this weekend by opposition such as Jeju Grand Prix runner-up Victoriia TURKS (UKR).
+78kg
Miami Grand Prix silver medallist Mariia SHEKEROVA (RUS) commands the top billing in Georgia for the women’s heavyweight category. Her rivals will include reigning Baku Grand Slam bronze medallist Gulsah KOCATURK (TUR), multiple-time European Cup medallist and Georgian hope Irine LEONIDZE (GEO) and her teammate and Qingdao Grand Prix bronze medallist Ksenia CHIBISOVA (RUS).
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MEN
-60kg
The men’s lightweight category will be largely decided by the form of European champion and top seed Amiran PAPINASHVILI (GEO) who took silver in Paris last month. The crowd favourite will have to deal with a highly-capable field of judoka including Olympic champion Arsen GALSTYAN (RUS) who is still early on his comeback trail and yet to regain his world-beating form.
-66kg
Top seed Georgii ZANTARAIA (UKR) is now coming into his own in the -66kg category having initially made the jump up from -60kg in 2012. ZANTARAIA won world bronze last year and has started his year with silver in Paris as his explosive judo continues to endear him to fans around the world. Russia boast not one but two of Europe’s top judoka in the category as former European silver medallist Kamal KHAN-MAGOMEDOV (RUS) and former European champion Alim GADANOV (RUS) will both see action.
-73kg
Paris Grand Slam bronze medallist Victor SCVORTOV (UAE) is flourishing on the IJF World Judo Tour but the top seed has one of his toughest assignments to date this weekend as two Olympic stars will also be aiming for glory. Olympic champion Lasha SHAVDATUASHVILI (GEO) continues his transition to the -73kg category having won Olympic gold at the age of 21 in the -66kg category. Miklos UNGVARI (HUN) lost out to the Georgian in the -66kg Olympic final and will be striving to overshadow his aforementioned foes along with a second home judoka in Zebeda REKHVIASHVILI (GEO) who elects to remain in this category despite a stunning win at the Oberwart European Open in the -81kg category.
-81kg
Avtandili TCHRIKISHVILI (GEO) will enter the Tbilisi Sports Palace on Saturday as the world number one, world silver medallist and Paris Grand Slam winner. One man who will relish standing opposite him is Dusseldorf Grand Prix winner and world number four Travis STEVENS (USA) who was emphatic in Germany with a string of one-sided victories cementing his place inside the world top 10.
-90kg
Hosts Georgia could be on course to dominate the -90kg category as they unleash the full weight of their well-stocked talent pool in arguably their favourite weight category. World silver medallist Varlam LIPARTELIANI (GEO) will be joined in action by Dusseldorf Grand Prix bronze medallist Zviad GOGOTCHURI (GEO), Junior world champion Beka GVINIASHVILI (GEO) and four-time national championships medallist Paata GVINIASHVILI (GEO). Three-time senior world medallist Kirill DENISOV (RUS) is seen as the most likely judoka to derail Georgia’s plans for supremacy in the category.
-100kg
Former Moscow Grand Slam winner Javad MAHJOUB (IRI) will be the man to beat as the top seed in the -100kg category. Jeju Grand Prix silver medallist Artem BLOSHENKO (UKR) and former European bronze medallist Elmar GASIMOV (AZE) could edge out the Iranian favourite.
+100kg
Dusseldorf Grand Prix bronze medallist Adam OKRUASHVILI (GEO) will be hoping to bring the first Tbilisi Grand Prix to a fitting conclusion by winning the last gold medal in the last contest of the competition on Sunday. Georgia’s man-mountain will need to subdue judoka such as European u23 Championships bronze medallist Daniel NATEA (ROU) and Junior world bronze medallist and teammate Levani MATIASHVILI (GEO) as he did in Dusseldorf.
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COMPETITION PROGRAMME
Friday
10:00 Preliminaries on two tatami
16:30 Opening ceremony
17:00 Final block on one tatami
Women: -48kg, -52kg, -57kg
Men: -60kg, -66kg
Saturday
10:00 Preliminaries on two tatami
17:00 Final block on one tatami
Women: -63kg, -70kg
Men: -73kg, -81kg
Sunday
10:00 Preliminaries on two tatami
17:00 Final block on one tatami
Women: -78kg, +78kg
Men: -90kg, -100kg, +100kg
Location: Tbilisi Sports Palace
http://www.worldjudoday.com/en/IJF-News-84...0bWFpbC5jb20%3D * * *
IJF Grand Prix Tbilisi 2014
-60 kg: Pool A
PAPINASHVILI, Amiran (GEO)- RAAKHANJAV, Tseden Ish (MGL)
-60 kg: Pool B
SHIRINLI, Vugar (AZE)-BROLASHVILI, Giorgi (GEO)
This post has been edited by uefa_geo on 21 Mar 2014, 09:28
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