Nemanja Majdov felt the chemistry with the tatami in the morning

One man was doing some strange kind of research, like a ritual at tatami 2 this morning. It looked almost like religion. Today was the day for Nemanja Majdov and he felt it was possible. The Serbian super talent, is not a talent anymore. Since today he is the new 2017 World Champion.

Majdov arrived rather late in Budapest, just on Thursday. His draw wasn’t easy with a first opponent in former World Champion Asley Gonzalez of Cuba. The first match was the first mission, but before all of that Majdov was in the hall very early and walked from the warming up hall towards the tatami. He looked, he walked, he bowed, he smelled, he thought, he felt. The spotlights weren't on between eight and eight thirty in the morning, but nine hours later, all spotlights shone over Nemanja Majdov, and it won't stop today.

The Majdovs are a religious family and today he needed the ultimate spirit, but Nemanja Majdov who suffered a number of injuries after his two European Junior titles, still didn’t show his best judo in the seniors. In Budapest he spent time to feel the synergy with the tatami. He sat down at mat two, knowing that this was the mat for the final. Whether he would reach the final was more like utopia, but he knew. The inspiration of those few minutes may have set an important basis for today’s ultimate flow where he defeated Gonzalez, Bozbayev, Le Beau, Dias, Margiani and Krisztian Toth. In the final the match could have gone both ways, but the spirit was with the judoka of Juco Club Red Star, it just had to be. He spread his arms, in a typical way, we know his style.

JudoInside Photographer Stanislaw Michalowski watched the ceremony in the early morning. Who was this young judoka in Serbian track suit. He was the world champion of 2017… in progress. 

The Majdov family is tremendously proud, Serbia is proud and with Nemanja and World number one Aleksandar Kukolj who finished fifth they have luxury situation for the future. It seemed God who made the decision. Nemanja's motto: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!

Psalm 118:16