Preview women +78kg Judo World Championships Budapest

World number one Idalys Ortiz (CUB) had to skip the World Championships in Budapest in 2017, this is her revanche for the silver medallist in 2018 and 2019. The 2012 Olympic Champion won the world title in 2013 and 2014 and took silver at the Games in 2016. Not many remember Emilie Andeol to take that precious gold medal.

France has Romane Dicko as perhaps world strongest but she will leave this edition to Julia Tolofua (FRA) and Lea Fontaine (FRA).

We expect the medals go to Japan anyway with two top athletes in Sarah Asahina (JPN) and Wakaba Tomita (JPN). Especially Asahina is a strong asset for Japan. She won the World Open title in 2017 and another world title in 2018. In 2017 in Budapest she took silver.

Brazil also has a reputation in this category. In fact three Brazilians take part in Budapest. Maria Suelen Altheman (BRA), Beatriz Souza (BRA) and Rochele Nunes now competing for Portugal … and with success. In fact we favour her to win a medal.

Top 10 players Iryna Kindzerska (AZE), Akira Sone (JPN), Romane Dicko (FRA), Kayra Sayit (TUR) are absent. That will give space to some outsiders to take that top spot. Maryna Slutskaya (BLR) and Larisa Ceric (BIH) know each-other well. Ceric is seeking for her form, perhaps she can find it in the Laszlo Papp Arena. Olympic medallist U78kg Anamari Velensek (SLO) is still able to win a few contests. Nihel Cheikh Rouhou (TUN) proved to be in shape winning the African title.

Sarah Adlington (GBR) is in the circuit for many years and still dreams of another success. Jasmin Grabowski-Kuelbs (GER) is experienced, Sandra Jablonskyte (LTU) an outsider for a stunt and Yelyzaveta Kalanina (UKR) has a different angle on many athletes which can be in her advantage.