European Cup Oberwart with countless athletes but Austrian cancellations

This weekend about 300 athletes will come to Austria for the European Open in Oberwart. The Austrian organization though faces some major cancellations of its own athletes. After Lorenz Wildner (ill) and Shamil Borchashvili (operation) also Daniel Allerstorfer became ill and cancelled his particitaion this weekend in Oberwart. Also one of the medal candidates Aaron Fara can’t fight in Oberwart.

What’s left? Of course Stephan Hegyi is one of the sensations in Austrian judo, he should be able to get a medal, he is first seeded +100kg. Without Allerstorfer the category is still spiced up by Ushangi Kokauri, Harun Sadikovic, Sven Heinle, Nabil Zalagh, Messie Katanga and Kaigo Kagawa from Japan. Also among the seeded athletes are Russians Musa Tumenov and Anton Brachev.

Laurin Boehler will have the attention from the home crowd U100kg. World Junior Champion Zelym Kotsoiev is definitely a candidate for gold, but also Frenchman Alexandre Iddir can shine if he is at his best. Azerbaijan has good athletes U90kg with two seeded players in Mehdiyev and Safguliev. In total  Azeri may fight in Oberwart.

Dominic Ressel is the number one seed U81kg on Sunday. Ressel is part of a German team with approx. 20 athletes who will definitely have a stake in the medal table.

At the first day the light weight categories will be active. It should include Walide Khyar of France, the 2016 European Champion who is on his way back. He won the Grand Prix in Tunis in January. Islam Yashuev is a fast Russian judoka. In a huge field this is is spectacular category to watch. More than 50 athletes are registered U66kg with strong athletes from Slovenia, Belgium, Georgia, France and Uzbekistan. But in this category there will be some surprises. Also more than 50 warriors U73kg with Pierre Duprat at the top of the list. For sure the French will take medals, but also Antoine Bouchard (CAN) looks strong and among the non-seeded athletes enough talents. Golan Pollack of Israel is non seeded and will show his best in this relatively new category for him.