Preview Women U63kg can Clarisse Agbegnenou stand the pressure

A starting grid of 44 women U63kg at the 2018 World Championships in Baku. In Pool A is Agbegnenou (FRA) who will probably top her pool. It’s easy to say she will win on Sunday, but it won’t be such an easy run to the final. Yang Yunxia (CHN) is a nasty opponent, talent Sanne Vermeer (NED) will have to deal with Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard of Canada to claim an outlook on the quarter final.

Martyna Trajdos (GER) will probably top Pool B but with Andreja Leski, that isn’t decided yet. She is in a pool with Quadros and Del Toro Carvajal, definitely an outsider. The level is quite tight with Krssakova and Schlesinger in the group with Trajdos.

Meanwhile Tina Trstenjak (SLO) will probably top Pool C, but she is not in the best shape of her career and will have to grow into the tournament. The expectations are lower than usual. Kathrin Unterwurzacher can throw the best but it depends on the day. The Austrian women have potential but no guarantee for the team for a medal, for sure not in the U63kg category where there;s a huge competition.

Miku Tashiro (JPN) has a good outlook to proceed. On the other side Juul Franssen can reach the semis too, the rest would be a surprise.

In the first semifinal, it will probably be Agbegnenou who gets through. Leski is the one in shape to block Trajdos. Tashiro has a good track record against Trstenjak having fought and beaten her five times. Franssen can be the outsider for a medal.

Tashiro can also spoil the first serious world title for France. But Tashiro doesn't have a good track record against Agbegnenou. They have fought eight times and Tashiro won once only. Only Trstenjak can deliver her pain. We doubt if it will be this week and if they are going to meet at all. We think the gold medalist will be Agbegnenou.