World Championships 2017, Budapest - PREVIEW

The 2017 Suzuki World Judo Championships, the marquee event of the International Judo Federation’s World Judo Tour, will take centre stage in the Hungarian capital of Budapest from Monday 28 August – Sunday 3 September at the László Papp Budapest Sports Arena.

The official draw and press conference took place on Sunday afternoon at the Intercontinental Hotel ahead of the IJF 65th Anniversary Gala evening at the Hungarian State Opera House.

Official Draw of the 2017 Suzuki World Judo Championships

Following Friday’s IJF Congress, which saw the re-election of the IJF President Mr. Marius VIZER and the announcement of a partnership with CNN as well as four new members on the IJF Executive Committee, and Saturday’s Art Exhibition and 2017 Suzuki World Judo Championships statue unveiling, the 731 competing judoka (440 men, 291 wonen) and 126 nations discovered the fate of their charges for the seven-day spectacle.

Judo fans will have unprecedented access to the sport’s blue ribbon event with each mat being broadcast live on the IJF website with a commentator for each mat as well as television coverage in 160 countries and coverage on CNN as well as behind the scenes, live access and special features across the IJF’s social media channels.

Mr. Marius VIZER (above), IJF President, made the opening address at the draw.

"Dear colleagues, dear distinguished guests, IJF Executive Commitee members, media, members of continents and National Federation's, all of the judo family, I welcome you all here to Budapest, Hungary for the 2017 Suzuki World Judo Championships.

"After a successful Rio 2016 Olympic Games, judo now starts on the road to Tokyo 2020 and with the inclusion of a Mixed Team competition, there is everything to look forward to. We also have a new partnership with CNN as our sport continues to move forward with increased visibility.

"On Sunday evening the IJF hosts its 65th Anniversary gala and on Monday we have the honour to be joined on day one at the competition by some very special guests.

"I would like to thank the Hungarian Judo Association, and the Hungarian Governement, for all of their work and tremendous partnership with the IJF to stage our signature competition as well as the IJF Congress and many other activities. I extend my gratitude to all members of the judo family who have supported the work of the IJF and I wish you all a fantastic World Championships."

Mr. Jean-Luc ROUGÉ (above - one from the left), IJF General Secretary, said: "Good afternoon everyone, it is a pleasure to see the judo family united here in Budapest for the 2017 Suzuki World Judo Championships. I wish you all a wonderful event and look forward to us spending many great days together over the next week."

Dr. TOTH Laszlo (below - left), Hungarian Judo Association President, said: "Dear Mr. President, dear honoured guests, friends, partners and media, I am delighted to see you here for the first senior World Judo Championships in Hungary. I welcome you all and hope you will all experience great hospitality, a fantastic judo competition and you will take away wonderful memories from Hungary. Thank you to all our partners, sponsors, supporters and everyone at the IJF and all members of the judo family. Best of luck to you all."

Mr. Vladimir BARTA, IJF Head Sport Director, said: "Welcome everyone to the most important draw of the year. I hope the best for your team and wish good luck to you all in the draw."

Following the draw, the IJF President Mr. Marius VIZER was joined by Mr. Chafik ELKETTANI, Morocco Judo Federation President, and Mr. Rachid TALBI ALAMI, Minister of Youth and Sport, to sign contracts for the World Openweight Championships, a Grand Prix and a Junior World Championships in the African nation.

London 2012 Olympic bronze medallist and former world silver medallist Marti MALLOY (USA) shared her observations on the draw.

"There are a lot of big categories and I am looking forward to the challenge. I know that to win the World Championships, it will be a very long day, this is my target. I have been to Budapest many times and always enjoyed my time here. This is a very friendly city but I am most at home in a judo environment and the sport is loved in Budapest so I can't wait to compete here."

Team USA star Marti MALLOY answered questions from the media

Former world silver medallist TOTH Krisztian (HUN) said: "Welcome everyone to Budapest, I competed at the Cadet World Championships here in 2009 and I know that the people of Hungary will be right behind our team. I am ready to compete, I feel good and very focused.

"I know what I need to do to succeed next week and I am prepared to do everything I can at the biggest competition on the IJF World Judo Tour," added TOTH, below.

Rio 2016 Olympic silver medallist Varlam LIPARTELIANI (GEO) said: "My dream was always to win the Olympic Games in the -90kg category. This weight category is very important to my country and I wanted to add my name to our winners at the Olympics. I tried my best but it was not to be in Rio, as I came away with silver, and now I find a new motivation in a new weight category.

"I feel comfortable at -100kg and I am excited to test myself at a World Championships in my new category," said the Georgian ace, below.

Georgian hero Varlam LIPARTELIANI (GEO) looked ahead to his first Worlds at -100kg

The IJF is supporting over 50 nations to take part in the 2017 Suzuki World Judo Championships 2017 including Cuba, DPR Korea, Panama and Venezuela.

PREVIEW

Women

-48kg

Rio 2016 Olympic gold medallist and current world champion Paula PARETO (ARG) will not defend her title in Budapest. The gold backpatch and red backpatch owner is a physician in Tigre, Argentina, and has prioritised her medical career this year and did not feel ready to commit to a World Championships.

Rio 2016 Olympic bronze medallist Otgontsetseg GALBADRAKH (KAZ) is therefore considered by many as the favourite. The 25-year-old has won Grand Slam and Grand Prix gold since Rio and is intent on becoming Kazakhstan’s first female world medallist.

Teikyo University colleagues TONAKI Funa (JPN) and Baku Grand Slam winner KOYAMA (BRA) will both make their Worlds debuts and the friends, both 22, enter with high expectations. Former world champion MUNKHBAT Urantsetseg (MGL) has medalled in all five of her events since the Olympics including wins at the Tokyo Grand Slam and Asian Championships and could give her country a perfect start on Monday.

-52kg

Rio 2016 Olympic champion Majlinda KELMENDI (KOS) has won the Paris Grand Slam and European Championships in 2017 and is on course to win a third world title. KELMENDI, 25, who won the Worlds back-to-back in 2013 and 2014, is undefeated since 2015 and is riding a 24-fight winning streak.

Double world champion KELMENDI will be prepared for challenges from Rio 2016 Olympic silver medallist Odette GIUFFRIDA (ITA), Worlds debutant SHISHIME Ai (JPN), London 2012 Olympic -48kg champion Sarah MENEZES (BRA) and three-time world medallist Erika MIRANDA (BRA) who was the last judoka to beat KELMENDI back in 2015 at the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam.

-57kg

All eyes will be Rio 2016 Olympic champion Rafaela SILVA (BRA) in the -57kg category a year on from her hometown heroics in Brazil. SILVA, 25, who became Brazil’s first female world judo champion in 2013, has been one of the most active Olympic champions post-Rio with five international competitions and a Grand Prix silver medal and Grand Slam bronze medal under her belt.

The world number four will have to rekindle her Rio form to recapture world gold with an abundance of top drawer judoka inscribed for Budapest in one of the sport’s deepest divisions.

Rio 2016 Olympic silver medallist and world number one DORJSUREN Sumiya (MGL) looks set to improve on her 2015 world bronze while YOSHIDA Tsukasa (JPN), winner of three Grand Slam gold medals a in row last year, will make her World Championships debut. Rio 2016 Olympic bronze medallist Telma MONTERIO (POR) is a four-time world silver medallist and at 31 is ready to embark on one more Olympic cycle and two fellow -57kg stalwarts in Cancun Grand Prix winner Marti MALLOY (USA) and Ekaterinburg Grand Slam winner Miryam ROPER (PAN) will both aim to return to a world podium.

The French double act of European champion Priscilla GNETO and Paris Grand Slam silver medallist Helene RECEVEAUX will both be striving to win their first World Championships medals and can beat anyone on their day.

-63kg

Rio 2016 Olympic champion Tina TRSTENJAK (SLO) is also the current world champion and European champion. The 27-year-old world number one has won the Paris Grand Slam and Dusseldorf Grand Prix bronze this year in addition to her continental success and is now focused on winning her country’s second world judo title.

The main opposition for TSTENJAK will come in the form of her arch-rival and Rio 2016 Olympic silver medallist Clarisse AGBEGNENOU (FRA) and the former leads their head-to-head series 4:3. Interestingly the Slovenian’s victories are all in their last four meetings to give her the psychological edge as AGBEGNENOU looks for a fourth consecutive Worlds medal having claimed silver in 2013, gold in 2014 and silver in 2015.

Two-time Grand Slam winner Kathrin UNTERWURZACHER (AUT), European Games winner Martyna TRAJDOS (GER), European silver medallist Margaux PINOT (FRA) and former world bronze medallist Alice SCHLESINGER (GBR) are the pre-eminent judoka in the rest of the field.

-70kg

Rio 2016 Olympic silver medallist and three-time world champion Yuri ALVEAR (COL) is unbeaten this year and could still be saying that in September after leaving Budapest. The 31-year-old Colombian legend has been preparing in Japan following victories at the Baku Grand Slam, Pan American Championships and Taipei Open.

World number one Elvismar RODRIGUEZ (VEN) is considered a long-term heir to the throne of ALVEAR at the summit of the -70kg category. RODRIGUEZ, 20, lost out to her Pan American counterpart in the Baku Grand Slam final this year by ippon but the Venezuelan is still learning and knows that medals and performances are more important than looking down from her coveted top seed spot for the World Championships.

Tokyo Grand Slam winner ARAI Chizuru (JPN) finished fifth on her Worlds debut in 2015 and determined to leave with a medal this time while European champion Sanne VAN DIJKE (NED) is also well-equipped to mount a title challenge which extends to Rio 2016 Olympic bronze medallist Sally CONWAY (GBR) who was fifth at the Worlds in 2009.

-78kg

The -78kg world title is expected to come down to a showdown between double Olympic bronze medallist and former world champion Mayra AGUIAR (BRA) and double Olympic medallist and former world champion Audrey TCHEUMEO (FRA). The two most decorated active judoka in the weight category are both looking to win world gold for the second time and cement their legacies as they plot their road to Tokyo 2020 and a potential third Olympic medal apiece.

World number one Guuse STEENHUIS (NED) has never been to an Olympics or medalled at the World Championships and has all the motivation in the world as the 24-year-old works towards accomplishing both in this cycle. World champion UMEKI Mami (JPN) was the surprise winner in 2015 as the top seeds were left reeling and the 22-year-old was one of only two members of Japan’s 14-strong Olympic team not to come away with a medal.

Two-time European bronze medallist and world number three Natalie POWELL (GBR) needs to push on and capture World honours while European bronze medallist ERDELYI-JOO Abigel (HUN) will be well backed and Hohhot Grand Prix winner Bernadette GRAF (AUT) will be an unknown quantity in only her third outing at -78kg.

+78kg

Rio 2016 Olympic champion Emilie ANDEOL (FRA) shocked the world on the last day of judo in Brazil last summer to break the stranglehold of the +78kg title from China, Japan and Cuba. ANDEOL was the first judoka outside of these three nations to win the women’s heavyweight Olympic gold medal and will walk out onto the tatami in Budapest with a gold backpatch. The 29-year-old has won the Sofia European Open and a bronze medal at the Paris Grand Slam this year and everyone else in the category will be trying to launch their Worlds bid on the back of a scalp against the reigning Olympic champion.

Worlds debutant ASAHINA Sarah (JPN) has won three consecutive Grand Slam gold medals including Paris and Tokyo and is the form judoka in the heavyweight category. The 20-year-old, who started the sport at the Kodokan Judo Institute, is a student at Tokai University and will have her dad and Kodokan 4th Dan ASAHINA Terry in the crowd for support.

Defending world champion and Olympic bronze medallist YU Song (CHN) and world number eight KIM Min-Jeong (KOR) add to Asia’s efforts to regain control of the heavyweight hierarchy.

Former European champion Kayra SAYIT (TUR) has the quality to pose a considerable medal tilt and double world silver medallist Maria Suelen ALTHEMAN (BRA) knows exactly what it takes to medal at the IJF’s showpiece competition.

Men

-60kg

Rio 2016 Olympic bronze medallist and former world champion TAKATO Naohisa (JPN) has won the Paris Grand Slam and Asian Championships in a perfect build-up to the World Championships. Tokai University member TAKATO, 24, has won seven Grand Slam gold medals – more than any other man on the planet – and in 2013 ended his country’s 16-year wait for a -60kg world champion. The main rival for TAKATO is seen as University and national team colleague and Tokyo Grand Slam winner NAGAYAMA Ryuju (JPN) who will make his Worlds bow in Budapest. The 21-year-old beat TAKATO in the Tokyo Grand Slam final to close out 2016 and won the Ekaterinburg Grand Slam in May.

Current world champion and Rio 2016 Olympic silver medallist Yeldos SMETOV (KAZ) may suffer from being away from the IJF World Judo Tour for the majority of the last 12 months. The Kazakh ace has fought only at the Dusseldorf Grand Prix in February and lost his first contest and now has a major task on his hands to try to retain his title and red backpatch.

European champion Robert MSHVIDOBADZE (RUS) has been picked by Ezio GAMBA for a World Championships for the first time and now has to deliver for his country. World Judo Masters winner Orkhan SAFAROV (AZE) has earned bronze medals at the Baku Grand Slam, Paris Grand Slam and European Championships in recent months and is in the best condition of his career. Elsewhere, world number one Amiran PAPINASHVILI (GEO) has been plugging away, staying active and in and around the medals but he has not won gold since triumphing at the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam in 2015.

-66kg

The -66kg category is a potential showstealer at #JudoWorlds2017 with four of judo’s most dynamic and popular judoka among the feast of talent ready to take on the world on day two in Budapest. Rio 2016 Olympic champion Fabio BASILE (ITA) left perhaps the strongest impression of all champions from Rio when he came from an unseeded berth to tantalise the world with his scintillating judo. The 22-year-old had never won an IJF event before the Olympics and that is still the case as his one competition since then (Tokyo Grand Slam 2016) ended with a humbling defeat against home opposition in his opening contest. Overnight sensation BASILE has hid his taste of the celebrity lifestyle and a string of television appearances with the goal of becoming Italy’s first male world judo champion.

Defending world champion and Rio 2016 Olympic silver medallist AN Baul (KOR) is ready to put his red backpatch on the line after winning the Asian Championships and Rome European Open. AN, 23, has a very different resume to BASILE, having already won every event on the IJF World Judo Tour, having won Grand Prix, Grand Slam, World Judo Masters and World Judo Championships gold.

European champion Georgii ZANTARAIA (UKR) won the World Championships almost a decade ago and in the -60kg category. ZANTARAIA has not survived to be around competing for the highest honours in the sport in 2017 but instead has thrived with his explosive judo and – being more flexible than a cat, and with more trickery than Houdini – is one of the most admired judoka in the sport. The crowd-pleaser is capable of anything at anyone against anyone and spectators nor his opponents can afford to take their eyes off him for a second.

Worlds debutant ABE Hifumi (JPN) has long been considered as the greatest prodigy in judo. ABE, 20, is the youngest male Grand Slam winner in history having won at home in Tokyo aged 17 in 2014. Youth Olympic Games gold earlier in that year introduced the rising teenager to the world and in 2015 he was released onto the IJF World Judo Tour circuit and won Grand Prix gold before winning two Grand Slams in 2016 and the Paris Grand Slam in 2017. ABE, whose face features on advertising at the Tokyo Skytree, the television broadcasting tower and famed landmark, is the leader of Japan’s Tokyo 2020 generation, and is ready for his Worlds showcase.

-73kg

World number one HASHIMOTO Soichi (JPN) has the rare distinction of topping the rankings going into his first World Championships. The 25-year-old is undefeated since 2015 having notched up 25 contest wins on the trot which has seen the precocious Japanese eclipse his rivals with World Judo Masters, Asian Championships and Grand Slam victories. The ease with which the charismatic Ippon Hunter shines on the IJF World Judo Tour is a testament to his sensational skills and his dedication to pursuing the maximum score while the scoreboard operators have the arduous task of keeping up with his scoring.

HASHIMOTO may not be as free-scoring in Budapest with two-time Grand Slam winner and former Junior world champion AN Chang-Rim (KOR), Rio 2016 Olympic silver medallist Rustam ORUJOV (AZE), boy wonder Hidayat HEYDAROV (AZE), London 2012 Olympic champion and Rio 2016 Olympic bronze medallist Lasha SHAVDATUASHVILI (GEO) and the wiliest veteran in the game, UNGVARI Miklos (HUN), among the greatest threats to his lengthy unbeaten spell.

Rio 2016 Olympic champion and world champion ONO Shohei (JPN) will sit this one out as he concentrates on completing his thesis at Tenri University and will return to the IJF World Judo Tour later in the year. ONO has still been helping out his teammates by working out with them at training camps which is another positive for HASHIMOTO who could be Japan’s new owner of the -73kg red backpatch.

-81kg

Rio 2016 Olympic champion Khasan KHALMURZAEV (RUS) has never competed at a World Championships and the 23-year-old will be aiming to succeed at the first attempt and conquer the IJF World Judo Tour’s all-star event. KHALMURZAEV has not been bested since 2015 having won six events in a row with the Olympics central to that extraordinary run of 29 contest wins in succession.

Rio 2016 Olympic bronze medallist and defending world champion NAGASE Takanori (JPN) has not competed internationally in 2017 but won the All Japan Championships in April. The University of Tsukuba judoka, 23, won his only meeting with KHALMURZAEV at the World Judo Masters in 2015 and many will hope that their rivalry is renewed on the world stage in Budapest.

The two front-runners have world number one and European champion Alan KHUBETSOV (RUS), 2015 world bronze medallist Victor PENALBER (BRA), Paris Grand Slam winner Frank DE WIT (NED) and double world medallist Antoine VALOIS-FORTIER (CAN) among the chasing pack.

-90kg

Former world silver medallist TOTH Krisztian (HUN) is one of his country’s top medal contenders their first World Judo Championships. TOTH, 23, who took silver at the 2014 World Championships while still a junior, won gold at the Budapest Grand Prix last year and produces his best judo on the biggest stages. The Hungarian has silver medal, fifth-place and seventh-place finishes in his three World campaigns and could secure a higher finish in 2017.

World number one and European champion Aleksandar KUKOLJ (SRB) starts as the number seed in Budapest as he has Serbia’s best chance to crown their first world judo champion. The 25-year-old has made considerable progress since losing out to eventual Olympic champion BAKER Mashu (JPN) in round three in Rio with a string of major wins. KUKOLJ won Grand Slam gold in Abu Dhabi and Tokyo and won his first continental crown in April. The Serbian has tried three times before at the Worlds going 2-1 in 2015, 2-1 in 2014 and 1-1 in 2013 but is a transformed judoka in 2017 and could be on the verge of something very special for his country.

European silver medallist Axel CLERGET (FRA) made his Worlds debut in 2009 with a seventh-place finish in Rotterdam. CLERGET, now 30, has not graced the seven-day spectacle since but his eight-year wait is over and he gets his reward for his devotion to the French cause and improving results after a stellar 2016. Some judoka mature and excel later than others and the hard-working Frenchman is in his prime and will be keen to share the tatami with the likes of Rio 2016 Olympic bronze medallist and current world champion GWAK Dong-Han (KOR), former World Judo Masters winner and all-round powerhouse Beka GVINIASHVILI (GEO), former world champion Asley GONZALEZ (CUB) and Hohhot Grand Prix winner Khusen KHALMURZAEV (RUS).

Rio 2016 Olympic bronze medallist and Paris Grand Slam winner CHENG withdrew a week ago due to injury.

-100kg

World number one Michael KORREL (NED) is the best placed Dutch judoka in the competition. The 23-year-old was one of the -100kg standouts in the latter part of the Rio 2016 Olympic cycle and is ready for his second World Championships appearance and first from pole position in the rankings. As a Grand Slam and Grand Prix winner KORREL has showed quality and potential and will be tested like never before in Budapest.

Tokyo Grand Slam winner Kirill DENISOV (RUS) and Rio 2016 Olympic silver medallist Varlam LIPARTELIANI (GEO) have looked the part since moving up from -90kg following the Games. They will try to find a way past the most established and seasoned crop of -100kg judoka such as Olympic bronze medallist Cyrille MARET (FRA), Olympic silver medallist Elmar GASIMOV and 35-year-old European champion Elkhan MAMMADOV (AZE).

World champion and Rio 2016 Olympic bronze medallist HAGA Ryunosuke (JPN) will have it all to do to retain his title and has domestic company for the first time with two-time Grand Prix winner and Tokai teammate WOLF Aaron (JPN) making his Worlds bow.

+100kg

French heavyweight king Teddy RINER (FRA) has not competed since winning his second Olympic title a year ago. Eight-time world champion RINER, 28, has a record of 128-0 since his last defeat in 2010 but over the last year new and exciting challengers have emerged and thrived under the amended rules. RINER has never fought under the new conditions for 2017 which includes four minutes contest instead of five and he can no longer win a contest in regulation time on penalties.

European champion Guram TUSHISHVILI (GEO) has been a revelation since joining the heavyweight elite ranks this year. The 22-year-old former -100kg competitor won the Baku Grand Slam and European Championships back-to-back to capture a seeded place for his first World Championships and the fearless Georgian – whose won his last eight contests by ippon – has caught the majority of his heavyweight opponents with his devastating drop morote-seoi-nage.

Rio 2016 Olympic champion at the weight below (-100kg), Lukas KRPALEK (CZE), was another leading threat to RINER and like TUSHISHVILI has never squared off one-on-one against the Frenchman. However, that dream contest will have to wait as the Czech Republic star withdrew on Friday after tearing ligaments in his ankle in training last week.

Rio 2016 Olympic silver medallist HARASAWA Hisayoshi and Paris Grand Slam winner OJITANI Takeshi (JPN) are both called on by Japan who are determined to find a heavyweight can surpass RINER by the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

World number one David MOURA (BRA) has won the Cancun Grand Prix and Ekaterinburg Grand Slam year and should mount a series medal bid while Mongolian hero and Beijing 2008 Olympic champion NAIDAN Tuvshinbayar (MGL) steps up to judo’s heavyweight weight category for what could be his Worlds swansong.

COMPETITION PROGRAMME

Monday

10:00 Preliminaries

14:45 Opening ceremony

16:00 Final block

Women: -48kg

Men: -60kg

Tuesday

10:00 Preliminaries

16:00 Final block

Women: -52kg

Men: -66kg

Wednesday

10:00 Preliminaries

16:00 Final block

Women: -57kg

Men: -73kg

Thursday

10:00 Preliminaries

16:00 Final block

Women: -63kg

Men: -81kg

Friday

10:00 Preliminaries

16:00 Final block

Women: -70kg, -78kg

Men: -90kg

Saturday

10:00 Preliminaries

15:30 Draw - Mixed Team Competition

16:00 Final block

Women: +78kg

Men: -100kg, +100kg

Sunday – Mixed Team Competition

09:00 Preliminaries

16:00 Final block

Women: -57kg, -70kg, +70kg

Men: -73kg, -90kg, +90kg

Location: László Papp Budapest Sports Arena

IJF Media & Communications Department

Mark Pickering, IJF Media Manager

Nicolas Messner, IJF Media Director

Photos © IJF Media by G. Sabau and M. Mayorova

press@ijf.org

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