Big challenge for Olympic women’s team of Russia

The Russian Olympic women’s team was announced without major surprises. The team of four women have the challenge to win the first medal for a Russian woman since 2004. The Russian Federation won two medals in its history by Lyubov Bruletova in 2000 and Tea Donguzashvili in 2004.

The team consists of three debutants at Olympic level. Only Natalia Kuziutina has Olympic experience, but not a good one.  Kuziutina is the queen though at Russian women’s judo with two bronze medals at World Championships in 2010 and 2014 and five European finals including three titles. Kuziutina is also the only seeded Russian woman in the team fighting U52kg.

Lightweight Irina Dolgova won European Games bronze in 2015 but hasn’t won an international medal since October 2015 when she took the victory at the Grand Slam of Abu Dhabi. Dolgova is former Cadet and Junior World Champion.

Perhaps Ekaterina Valkova was the best performing woman in the team over the last year. She is the choice U63kg and she won European bronze this year and took bronze medals at the Grand Slam in Tokyo and Grand Prix of Havana and Düsseldorf. She can certainly surprise in a few matches.

Heavyweight Ksenia Chibisova is experienced and is slowly getting traction in her division with continental open gold medals in Buenos Aires and recently in Madrid, but not expected to take a medal in London.