Japanese dominance U60kg at Cadet World Championships, preview Day 2

Four new champions after the first day of the Cadet World Championships and four winning countries. The categories girls U48, U52 and boys U60 and U66kg are ready to fight their most important event of the year, in Santiago de Chile accompanied by family and team mates. The IJF sums up the top talents in the starting grid for day 2 in Chile.

Girls U48kg

EYOF winner Andrea Stojadinov (SRB) will lead the Serbian team into action in Chile. The 17-year-old took silver at the Cadet European Championships and has been tipped to win her first Worlds medal at the first time of asking. Cadet European Championships winner Mascha Ballhaus (GER) is one of the most prolific medallists in this category with a podium finish in her last eight events. Cadet Asian Championships gold medallist Sita Kadamboeva (UZB) is part of an exciting crop of young female judoka from the Asian nation and travels outside of Asia for the first time. 

2009 Hiromi Endo (JPN)

2011 Ami Kondo (JPN)

2013 Mikoto Tsunemi (JPN)

2015 Diyora Keldiyorova (UZB)

Girls U52kg

Junior Asian Championships silver medallist Hsu Lin Hsuan (TPE) is one of her country’s top prospects and at 16 has already enjoyed success at the cadet and junior level. Four-time continental cup winner Hsu has made the longest trip of her young career to compete at the Cadet Worlds and will expect to return with some extra luggage. Junior Pan American Championships silver medallist Jessica Ocampo (COL), Cadet Pan American Championships silver medallist Nicole Franzoi (BRA) and Cadet Asian Championships silver medallist Meruyert Sarsenova (KAZ) all come into the competition on back of medal-winning appearances at their respective continental championships.

2009 Ning Li (CHN)

2011 Kaho Yonezawa (JPN)

2013 Jessica Klimkait (CAN)

2015 Kana Tomizawa (JPN)

Boys U60kg

For Japanese winners over history in these Cadet World Championships in this category. On the first day one medal for Japan, on Thursday more chances. Cadet European Championships winner Kazbek Naguchev (RUS) is the number one seed and is riding a 21-fight win streak as one of the most consistent judoka at the cadet level. The 17-year-old has won four gold medals from four competitions in 2017 and could make it five from five in South America. Cadet Pan American Championships winner Willian Lima (BRA) will be a leading force while Cadet Asian Championships winner Bayanmunkh Narmandakh (MGL) is back for a second crack at winning the biggest tournament for U18 judoka having won bronze at the last edition in 2015 in Sarajevo.

2009 Naohisa Takato (JPN)

2011 Yuma Oshima (JPN)

2013 Takumi Oshima (JPN)

2015 Genki Koga (JPN)

Boys U66kg

Cadet European Championships bronze medallist Dmitrii Pridira (RUS) is the top seed in the U66kg category ahead of former Cadet European Championships winner Artjoms Galaktionovs (LAT) who won bronze at EYOF 2017. Both judoka will be front-runners while Pan American Championships winner Marcos Santos (BRA) also has the credentials to make the step up from continental to world honours. Russia won gold at the first day, a good motivation for the team to snatch another gold.

2009 Arbi Khamkhoev (RUS)

2011 Mikhail Igolnikov (RUS)

2013 Koba Mchedlishvili (GEO)

2015 Giovanni Esposito (ITA)