Outstanding line-up with horrifying first round clashes U48kg

The draw of the World Championships held in Baku delivered a few awesome matches in the first rounds. Some even horror matches as some of the expected favourites will meet each-other in a battle to continue the tournament or leave soon.

One of these spectacular matches on paper will very likely be the contest between super talent Daria Bilodid and Kosovo’s former World Junior Champion Distria Krasniqi. The Kosovarian who stepped back from the U52kg to U48kg to avoid any clash with Majlinda Kelmendi (Olympic Champion U52kg) has to earn points here in Baku for her race U48kg. In her first match she cannot afford to not have too much trouble with Jacqueline Solis (GUA) and shall obviously take each match after each-other but the truth is this contest against Bilodid could easily be a medal match.

Naming pool D U48kg is also the pool of death with Olympic bronze medallist Otgontsetseg Galbadrakh who can meet one of the two only in the quarter final.

Pool C may be rules by Irina Dolgova, but her first opponent is very likely the unseeded Olympic Champion Paula Pareto. With World Junior Champion facing Azerbaijan’s favourite Aisha Gurbanli and Clement (FRA) and Minsker (ISR) are probable opponents for the winner of the Dolgova vs Pareto contest.

Although all prognosis are just on paper, pool A will show the experiences Urantsetseg Munkhbat (MGL)  in a more relaxed circumstance. Melissa Hurtado of Cuba is an outsider that we shouldn’t forget in this pool. On the other side of her pool Eva Csernoviczki, speaking about experience, will face Russian youngster Sabina Giliazova, whilst Anne-Sophie Jura can expect the winner of Ungureanu vs Costa, also a tasty first round match. The winner of this pool A will fight Pool B’s outstanding line-up with Funa Tonaki as favourite. But also Shira Rishony vs Maryna Cherniak is a classic in the first round, the winner will face Tonaki with Kang (KOR) as outsider.

Milica Nikolic (SRB) can surprise and she might face Julia Figueroa of Spain rapidly. An awesome outlook for the die hard judo fan whether he likes men or women, this is clearly the creme de la crème in lightweight judo where Asian Games winner and Olympic runner-up Jeong Bo-Kyeong and Ami Kondo are missing in this strong field to complete the chaos.