Judo Grand Slam, Tokyo 2014 Official Draw - PREVIEW After a gruelling year on the IJF World Judo Tour composed of already four Grand Slams (Paris, Baku, Tyumen and Abu Dhabi), 11 Grand Prix (Düsseldorf, Tbilisi, Samsun, Havana, Budapest, Ulaanbaatar, Zagreb, Astana, Tashkent, Qingdao and Jeju) and the World Championships in Chelyabinsk, Russia, the finest judoka in the world will have one last outing this weekend in Japan as the Tokyo Grand Slam brings the years to a close. The Tokyo Grand Slam takes place from 5-7 December at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium and fans can watch all the action live at ippon.tv (according the TV rights policy in each country). Today, the official draw of the competition took place at the Tokyo Dome Hotel - which is sitting a block away from the historical Kodokan where Judo was invented by Master Kano Jigoro, in 1882 - in front of the heads of delegations of the 65 countries, representing 424 athletes (253 men, 171 women) who will fight for the last honours of an incredible year of outstanding judo. For all the delegations it was an emotional moment to enter the Kodokan as all the accreditation process and the training sessions prior to the event were held in the prestigious building. Mr. Nasser Al Tamimi, IJF General Treasurer, welcomed the delegations and officials: “Dear representatives of the All Japan Judo Federation, dear guests, dear officials and athletes, in the name of the IJF President, Mr. Marius Vizer, I would like to thank the Japanese Federation for their outstanding work to organise this event. I wish all of you a very good competition and for those who will stay after the Grand Slam a good training camp. The All Japan Judo Federation was represented by its Vice President and judo legend, Mr. Yamashita Yasuhiro (Olympic champion and four-time World Champion) who addressed the delegates with his welcome speech: “I welcome all of you to the last event of the IJF World Judo Tour 2014 season as the Tokyo Grand Slam is the very last event of the IJF calendar. We hope that all athletes will show their best during the next three days and we are happy to welcome them all for the training camp that will follow the competition. “I want to say that the All Japan Judo Federation is working hard on a new project to promote the values of our sport. This project’s name is MIND for Manner, Independence, Nobility and Dignity. We strongly believe that the IJF President, Mr. Marius Vizer, wants to emphasise judo as a great educational tool. And according to that, I hope that all athletes will show their best qualities and will respect each other. “You all know that in 2020, we are going to host the Olympic Games here in Tokyo. It will be the second edition of the worldwide event after the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games. To make this new edition a success, we need your help and cooperation. I wish all the best to all of you. Thank you!” The technical aspects of the draw were conducted by Mr. Vladimir Barta, IJF Head Sports Director, who underlined the fact that for this last event of the season, Tokyo is a perfect destination. Mr. Barta said: “Beyond the 500 points that will be allocated to the winners, which will be very important in the framework of the Olympic qualifications towards Rio 2016, I want to mention that those points will also be decisive to determine who will be the Prestige Top Athletes of the Seasons. At the end of the Grand Slam, based on the World Ranking List, we will discover who was the best female and the best male athlete of the year, throughout the weight categories. Those two athletes will receive a significant prize money award from the IJF.” FOLLOW THE COMPETITION The draw can be seen at: ippon.org/gs_jpn2014.php Live stream on Ippon TV: ippon.tv Facebook: facebook/ijudo Twitter: twitter/IntJudoFed Official event hash tag: #JudoTokyo2014 Judobase: judobase.org Instagram: instagram/judogallery YouTube: youtube/judo -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WOMEN -48kg Two of the top favourites of the competition will be the current Olympic champion, Sarah Menezes (BRA) and the current world champion, Kondo Ami (JPN). But the opposition will be very tough in the women’s lightweight category with the presence of several Olympic and world medallists. The top seeded athletes of the category are 1 - MENEZES Sarah (BRA - WRL 2) Olympic Games London 2012: 1. place, Grand Slam Tyumen 2014: 1. place, Grand Slam Moscow 2013: 1. place 2 - PARETO Paula (ARG - WRL 7) World Championships Chelyabinsk 2014: 2. place, Grand Slam Rio de Janeiro 2012: 1. place, Grand Slam Paris 2014: 3. place 3 - KONDO Ami (JPN - WRL 8) World Championships Chelyabinsk 2014: 1. place, Grand Slam Tokyo 2013: 1. place, Grand Prix Budapest 2014: 3. place 4 - GALBADRAKH Otgontsetseg (MGL - WRL 9) Grand Prix Astana 2014: 1. place, Grand Slam Moscow 2013: 2. place, Grand Slam Baku 2013: 2. place Other favourites CHERNIAK Maryna (UKR - WRL 11) - UNGUREANU Monica (ROU - WRL 13) - JEONG Bo Kyeong (KOR - WRL 14) - VAN SNICK Charline (BEL - WRL 18) -52kg With her second place at the World Championships, Chelyabinsk 2014 and her fantastic results throughout the end of this season, Andreea Chitu (ROU) is the favourite of the competition. Chitu will be tested on the opening day by six of the remaining world’s top 10 who will all have the Romanian in their sights. The top seeded athletes of the category are 1 - CHITU Andreea (ROU - WRL 2) - World Championships Chelyabinsk 2014: 2. place, Grand Slam Abu Dhabi 2014: 2. place, Grand Prix Tashkent 2014: 1. place 2 - MIRANDA Erika (BRA - WRL 4) - World Championships Rio de Janeiro 2013: 2. place, Panamerican Championships Guayaquil 2014: 1. place, World Championships Chelyabinsk 2014: 3. place 3 - KRAEH Mareen (GER - WRL 5) - World Championships Rio de Janeiro 2013: 3. place, Grand Prix Rijeka 2013: 1. place, Grand Slam Paris 2014: 3. place 4 - COHEN Gili (ISR - WRL 6) - Grand Prix Tblisi 2014: 1. place, Grand Slam Moscow 2013: 3. place, Grand Prix Tashkent 2013: 2. place Other Favorites BERMOY ACOSTA Yanet (CUB - WRL 7) - EURANIE Annabelle (FRA - WRL 8) - ADIYASAMBUU Tsolmon (MGL - WRL 10) - HASHIMOTO Yuki (JPN - WRL 11) -57kg All eight top seeded athletes are among the top 10 best players in the world in the women’s -57kg weight category. After a disappointing World Championship in Russia last summer and even if she is not among the top seeded athletes, Olympic champion, MATSUMOTO Kaori (JPN) will also be one of the favourites of the competition while her teammate and reigning world champion UDAKA Nae (JPN) will relish the prospect of fighting international judoka on home soil. The top seeded athletes of the category are 1 - MONTEIRO Telma (POR - WRL 2) - World Championships Chelyabinsk 2014: 2. place, Grand Slam Abu Dhabi 2014: 1. place, Masters Baku 2011: 1. place 2 - ROPER Miryam (GER - WRL 3) - Grand Slam Moscow 2013: 1. place, Grand Slam Baku 2013: 1. place, World Championships Rio de Janeiro 2013: 3. place 3 - FILZMOSER Sabrina (AUT - WRL 4) - Grand Slam Baku 2014: 1. place, Grand Prix Samsun 2013: 1. place, European Championships Budapest 2013: 2. place 4 - SILVA Rafaela (BRA - WRL 6) - World Championships Rio de Janeiro 2013: 1. place, Panamerican Championships San Jose 2013: 1. place, World Championships Paris 2011: 2. place Other Favorites UDAKA Nae (JPN - WRL 7) - CAPRIORIU Corina (ROU - WRL 8) - DORJSUREN Sumiya (MGL - WRL 9) - YAMAMOTO Anzu (JPN - WRL 10) -63kg In the absence of the two top unquestionable athletes of the category, Clarisse AGBEGNENOU (FRA - WRL 1) - Yarden GERBI (ISR - WRL 2), the -63kg category is very open and predictions are more complicated. The top seeded athletes of the category are 1 - TRSTENJAK Tina (SLO - WRL 3) - Grand Slam Abu Dhabi 2014: 1. place, World Championships Chelyabinsk 2014: 3. place, Grand Prix Zagreb 2014: 1. place 2 - VAN EMDEN Anicka (NED - WRL 4) - World Championships Rio de Janeiro 2013: 3. place, Grand Slam Abu Dhabi 2014: 2. place, Grand Slam Moscow 2013: 2. place 3 - UNTERWURZACHER Kathrin (AUT - WRL 6) - Grand Slam Baku 2014: 2. place, Grand Prix Samsun 2014: 1. place, Grand Prix Abu Dhabi 2013: 1. place 4 - BELLARD Anne-Laure (FRA - WRL 7) - Grand Slam Baku 2014: 1. place, Grand Slam Paris 2014: 2. place, World Championships Chelyabinsk 2014: 5. place Other Favourites TRAJDOS Martyna (GER - WR 8 ) - JOUNG Da-Woon (KOR - WRL 9) - GWEND Edwige (ITA - WRL 10) - TASHIRO Miku (JPN - WRL 11) -70kg The five top athletes in the world will be present in Tokyo this weekend. Among them is the current world champion, Yuri Alvear (COL), who gave no chance to her rivals, last August in Russia to gain her second world title in a row. The top seeded athletes of the category are 1 - POLLING Kim (NED - WRL 1) - Masters Tyumen 2013: 1. place, Grand Slam Tyumen 2014: 1. place, Grand Slam Baku 2014: 1. place 2 - VARGAS KOCH Laura (GER - WRL 2) - World Championships Rio de Janeiro 2013: 2. place, Grand Slam Abu Dhabi 2014: 1. place, Grand Prix Tashkent 2014: 1. place 3 - ZUPANCIC Kelita (CAN - WRL 3) - Grand Slam Baku 2013: 1. place, Masters Tyumen 2013: 2. place, Panamerican Championships San Jose 2013: 1. place 4 - ALVEAR Yuri (COL - WRL 4) - World Championships Chelyabinsk 2014: 1. place, World Championships Rio de Janeiro 2013: 1. place, Panamerican Championships Guayaquil 2014: 1. place Other Favorites GRAF Bernadette (GER - WRL 5) - CONWAY Sally (GBR - WRL 7) - NIANG Assmaa (MAR - WRL 8) - ARAI Chizuru (JPN - WRL 12) -78kg Olympic champion and former world champion Kayla Harrison will once again try to reach the podium after a good series at the end of this season, when other favourites will try to consolidate their position at the World Ranking List. The top seeded athletes of the category are 1 - MALZAHN Luise (GER - WRL 3) - Grand Slam Abu Dhabi 2014: 1. place, Grand Prix Samsun 2014: 1. place, Grand Prix Dusseldorf 2014: 1. place 2 - VELENSEK Anamari (SLO - WRL 4) - Grand Slam Paris 2014: 1. place, World Championships Chelyabinsk 2014: 3. place, Grand Prix Zagreb 2014: 1. place 3 - TURKS Victoriia (UKR - WRL 9) - Grand Slam Abu Dhabi 2014: 2. place, Grand Prix Tblisi 2014: 2. place, Grand Prix Jeju 2013: 2. place 4 - HARRISON Kayla (USA - WRL 11) - Olympic Games London 2012: 1. place, World Championships Chelyabinsk 2014: 3. place, Grand Slam Tyumen 2014: 2. place Other Favorites GALEONE Assunta (ITA - WRL 13) - MALONGA Madeleine (FRA - WRL 15) - DMITRIEVA Anastasiya (RUS - WRL 16) - CASTILLO Yalennis (CUB - WRL 20) +78kg The top favourite of the competition will definitely be the current world and Olympic Champion, Idalys ORTIZ. But World number three, four and five are also present in the Japanese capital to try to topple the champion from Cuba. The top seeded athletes of the category are 1 - ORTIZ Idalys (CUB - WRL 1) - World Championships Chelyabinsk 2014: 1. place, World Championships Rio de Janeiro 2013: 1. place, Olympic Games London 2012: 1. place 2 - ANDEOL Emilie (FRA - WRL 3) - European Championships Montpellier 2014: 1. place, World Championships Chelyabinsk 2014: 3. place, Grand Slam Paris 2014: 2. place 3 - TACHIMOTO Megumi (JPN - WRL 4) - Grand Slam Tokyo 2013: 1. place, Grand Slam Paris 2013: 1. place, Masters Baku 2011: 1. place 4 - KONITZ Franziska (GER - WRL 5) - Grand Slam Abu Dhabi 2014: 2. place, Grand Prix Astana 2014: 1. place, Grand Prix Abu Dhabi 2013: 1. place Other Favorites YAMABE Kanae (JPN - WRL 6) - CHIBISOVA Ksenia (RUS - WRL 15) - KINDZERSKA Iryna (UKR - WRL 17) - ADLINGTON Sarah (GBR - WRL 19) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MEN -60kg The current world champion and world number one, GANBAT Boldbaatar (MGL), will be the top seeded athlete in a category where nothing is written in advance and surprises may come from outsiders. The top seeded athletes of the category are 1 - GANBAT Boldbaatar (MGL - WRL 1) - World Championships Chelyabinsk 2014: 1. place, Grand Slam Paris 2014: 1. place, Masters Tyumen 2013: 2. place 2 - DASHDAVAA Amartuvshin (MGL - WRL 4) - World Championships Rio de Janeiro 2013: 2. place, Grand Slam Baku 2013: 1. place, Grand Slam Abu Dhabi 2014: 2. place 3 - SAFAROV Orkhan (AZE - WRL 5 ) - Grand Slam Abu Dhabi 2014: 1. place, Grand Slam Baku 2014: 1. place, World Championships Rio de Janeiro 2013: 3. place 4 - KIM Won Jin (KOR - WRL 8) - World Championships Rio de Janeiro 2013: 3. place, Grand Prix Jeju 2013: 1. place, Grand Slam Tokyo 2013: 2. place Other Favorites KITADAI Felipe (BRA - WRL 9) - MUSHKIYEV Ilgar (AZE - WRL 10) - PAISCHER Ludwig (AUT - WRL 12) - KIDO Shinji (JPN - WRL 13) -66kg The concurrence will be severe in a category where the 6 top athletes in the world are present, even if the current world champion, EBINUMA Masashi (JPN) remains the ultimate favourite. The top seeded athletes of the category are 1 - EBINUMA Masashi (JPN - WRL 1) - World Championships Chelyabinsk 2014: 1. place, World Championships Rio de Janeiro 2013: 1. place, World Championships Paris 2011: 1. place 2 - CHIBANA Charles (BRA - WRL 2) - Grand Slam Tyumen 2014: 1. place, Grand Slam Moscow 2013: 1. place, Panamerican Championships Guayaquil 2014: 1. place 3 - PULYAEV Mikhail (RUS - WRL 3) - World Championships Chelyabinsk 2014: 2. place, Grand Slam Paris 2014: 1. place, Grand Prix Havana 2014: 1. place 4 - DAVAADORJ Tumurkhuleg (MGL - WRL 4) - Grand Slam Baku 2013: 1. place, Asian Games Incheon 2014: 1. place, Asian Championships Bangkok 2013: 1. place Other Favorites ZANTARAIA Georgii (UKR - WRL 5) - OATES Colin (GBR - WRL 6) - TAKAJO Tomofumi (JPN - WRL 9) - GADANOV Alim (RUS - WRL 13) -73kg The top three athletes in the world are present on the occasion of the Tokyo Grand Slam, which will promise a beautiful judo show. But with 45 athletes engaged in the preliminary rounds, the final podium is difficult to determine, especially with a possible Dex ELMONT vs. ONO Shohei (JPN) already at the second round. The top seeded athletes of the category are 1 - ELMONT Dex (NED - WRL 1) - Grand Slam Abu Dhabi 2014: 1. place, Masters Tyumen 2013: 2. place, European Championships Montpellier 2014: 1. place 2 - SCVORTOV Victor (UAE - WRL 2) - World Championships Chelyabinsk 2014: 3. place, Grand Prix Budapest 2014: 1. place, Grand Prix Abu Dhabi 2013: 1. place 3 - MUKI Sagi (ISR - WRL 3) - Grand Slam Baku 2014: 1. place, Grand Prix Havana 2014: 1. place, Grand Prix Astana 2014: 2. place 4 - DRAKSIC Rok (SLO - WRL 5) - European Championships Budapest 2013: 1. place, Grand Slam Paris 2014: 2. place, Masters Baku 2011: 2. place Other Favorites KHASHBAATAR Tsagaanbaatar (MGL - WRL 6) - SAINJARGAL Nyam-Ochir (MGL - WRL 8) - ORUJOV Rustam (AZE - WRL 10 ) - TATALASHVILI Nugzari (GEP - WRL 12) -81kg The men’s 81kg has also a world championship level with the presence of the two protagonists of the last World Championships final in Russia, Avtandili TCHRIKISHVILI (GEO) and Antoine VALOIS-FORTIER (CAN). Will Victor PENALBER (BRA) be able to show his best judo? Will the current Olympic champion, KIM Jae-Bum (KOR), be able to show that he is back after is brilliant victory last weekend in Jeju? There are many questions that will have answers this weekend. The top seeded athletes of the category are 1 - TCHRIKISHVILI Avtandili (GEO - WRL 1) - World Championships Chelyabinsk 2014: 1. place, World Championships Rio de Janeiro 2013: 2. place, Grand Slam Paris 2014: 1. place 2 - VALOIS-FORTIER Antoine (CAN - WRL 2) - World Championships Chelyabinsk 2014: 2. place, Grand Slam Abu Dhabi 2014: 2. place, Panamerican Championships Guayaquil 2014: 2. place 3 - PENALBER Victor (BRA - WRL 4) - Grand Slam Tyumen 2014: 1. place, Panamerican Championships Guayaquil 2014: 1. place, Panamerican Championships San Jose 2013: 1. place 4 - NIFONTOV Ivan (RUS - WRL 6) - Masters Tyumen 2013: 1. place, Grand Slam Abu Dhabi 2014: 1. place, World Championships Chelyabinsk 2014: 3. place Other Favorites KIM Jae-Bum (KOR - WRL 8) - IMAMOV Yakhyo (UZB - WRL 11) - NAGASHIMA Keita (JPN - WRL 12) - MOUSTOPOULOS Roman (GRE - WRL 13) -90kg The world number one will also be present in Tokyo, proving that, once again, the level of the event will be particularly high to put an end to this sporting season. But judo star, former Olympic and current world Champion, Ilias ILIADIS, will also be fighting in the last day of the competition. With the presence of fighters such as Noel VAN T END (NED) and Kirill VOPROSOV (RUS), this promises to be a very attractive weight category. The top seeded athletes of the category are 1 - LIPARTELIANI Varlam (GEO - WRL 1) - World Championships Rio de Janeiro 2013: 2. place, Grand Slam Paris 2013: 1. place, European Championships Montpellier 2014: 1. place 2 - ILIADIS Ilias (GRE - WRL 2) - World Championships Chelyabinsk 2014: 1. place, Masters Tyumen 2013: 1. place, World Championships Paris 2011: 1. place 3 - VAN T END Noel (NED - WRL 5) - Grand Prix Qingdao 2014: 1. place, Grand Slam Abu Dhabi 2014: 2. place, Grand Slam Baku 2014: 2. place 4 - VOPROSOV Kirill (RUS - WRL 6) - World Championships Chelyabinsk 2014: 3. place, European Championships Montpellier 2014: 2. place, Masters Almaty 2012: 2. place Other Favorites GWAK Dong Han (KOR - WRL 8) - ABD EL AKHER Hatem (EGY - WRL 9) - GVINIASHVILI Beka (GEO - WRL 10) - ELMONT Guillaume (NED - WRL 11) -100kg In the absence of world number one, Lukas Krpalek (CZE), the favourite will be the French fighter Cyrille MARET who will have to demonstrate this position in a category where a former Olympic champion, NAIDAN Tuvshinbayar (MGL), a world and Olympic medallist, Henk GROL (NED) and a former world champion, Luciano CORREA (BRA) are present. The top seeded athletes of the category are 1 - MARET Cyrille (FRA - WRL 2) - Grand Slam Paris 2014: 1. place, Grand Prix Samsun 2014: 1. place, Grand Prix Dusseldorf 2013: 1. place 2 - GASIMOV Elmar (AZE - WRL 5) - Grand Slam Tyumen 2014: 1. place, Masters Tyumen 2013: 3. place, European Championships Montpellier 2014: 2. place 3 - GROL Henk (NED - WRL 8) - World Championships Rio de Janeiro 2013: 2. place, Masters Tyumen 2013: 2. place, Grand Prix Budapest 2014: 1. place 4 - PACEK Martin (SWE - WRL 9) - Grand Prix Qingdao 2014: 1. place, Grand Slam Tyumen 2014: 3. place, Grand Slam Baku 2013: 3. place Other Favorites NAIDAN Tuvshinbayar (MGL - WRL 11) - ARMENTEROS Jose (CUB - WRL 13) - SAYIDOV Ramziddin (UZB - WRL 14) - CORREA Luciano (BRA - WRL 15) +100kg Teddy Riner, who is present in Tokyo for the post-event training camp and won’t compete this weekend, will observe his main opponents on the tatami. World number two, Rafael SILVA (BRA) might reclaim the lead of the World Ranking List if he wins. World silver medallist, SHICHINOHE Ryu (JPN) who showed good potential in Russia last summer will try to confirm it, as well as Renat SAIDOV (RUS) or Daniel NATEA (ROU). But other names might also appear on the last podium of the competition and of the year. The top seeded athletes of the category are 1 - SILVA Rafael (BRA - WRL 2) - World Championships Rio de Janeiro 2013: 2. place, Grand Slam Tyumen 2014: 1. place, Masters Tyumen 2013: 2. place 2 - SHICHINOHE Ryu (JPN - WRL 5) - World Championships Chelyabinsk 2014: 2. place, Grand Slam Paris 2014: 1. place, Grand Prix Ulaanbaatar 2014: 1. place 3 - SAIDOV Renat (RUS - WRL 6) - World Championships Chelyabinsk 2014: 3. place, Grand Prix Havana 2014: 1. place, Masters Tyumen 2013: 3. place 4 - NATEA Daniel (ROU - WRL 7) - Grand Slam Abu Dhabi 2014: 1. place, Grand Slam Baku 2014: 3. place, Grand Prix Ulaanbaatar 2014: 3. place Other Favorites MEYER Roy (NED - WRL 8) - MOURA David (BRA - WRL 9) - KIM Sung-Min (KOR - WRL 10) - MATIASHVILI Levani (GEO - WRL 8) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- COMPETITION PROGRAMME Friday 10:00 Preliminaries 15:30 Opening Ceremony 16:00 Final block Women: -48kg, -52kg, -57kg Men: -60kg, -66kg Saturday 10:00 Preliminaries 16:00 Final block Women: -63kg, -70kg Men: -73kg, -81kg Sunday 10:00 Preliminaries 16:00 Final block Women: -78kg, +78kg Men: -90kg, -100kg, +100kg Location Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium 1-17-1 Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- IJF Media & Communications Department Nicolas Messner, IJF Media Director Mark Pickering, IJF Media Manager Photos © IJF Media by Gabriela Sabau [email protected]
Posted on: Thu, 04 Dec 2014 13:35:10 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015