Remember the 81s

At a training camp at Lignano at the Villaggio Olimpico in Italy, some of the great judo stars from the past gathered. What an occasion to picture a few old warriors in one shot who’ve all battled each other in the past. Never at Olympic Games though while that could have easily been the case. Check out what they have achieved and how often they were at the Olympics. Most are successful coaches now.

Antonio Ciano (41) was Italian judoka and national Champion 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010. He won silver at the 2009 European Championships in Tbilisi U81kg. He became Italian Champion for the fifth time in 2016 in Parma as one of the oldest ever (35) champions. He retired in 2016, but he loves the game too much and competed at the Europa League in 2018 in Bucharest. He works with his club Fiamma Gialle Roma as a coach. He competed at the Olympic Games in 2012. Ciano fought against Budolin, Bruyere and Maresch as well as Marconcini and Valois-Fortier.

Alexei Budolin (46) is 2000 Olympic bronze medallist and double World medallist, finallist in 2001. He won the European title in 2001 in Paris. Was 1995 and 1996 European junior Champion. Brother of Dimitri Budolin. For years he was head coach of Estonia and since 2017 he is coach for Switzerland. He competed at the Olympic Games in 2000 and 2004. Budolin fought against Krawczyk in both U78kg and U81kg. His brother Dimitri fought U90kg.

Italian judoka Francesco Bruyere (41) was the 2005 World Championships finallist in Cairo U73kg. He won European Junior bronze in 1999. He won three World Cups in Rome, Tallinn and Miami. He won 8 World Cup medals and became coach after his career. He is the current women's head coach of Italy. He competed four World Championships. Bruyere fought against Maresch, Ciano and Jezek.

Italian judoka Matteo Marconcini (32) became World Championships silver medallist in 2017 in Budapest. He was one of the sensations at the Olympic Games in Rio where he finished fifth. He won the European Open in Prague in 2016 U81kg and bronze in Casablanca. Antonio came back from a shoulder injury in 2015. In 2014 he won European Cups in Sindelfingen and Celje in 2012. He was Italian champion in 2010 and 2012. He won bronze at the Grand Slam in Baku in 2016. He took a silver medal at the European Cup in Malaga at his comeback in 2018. He competed at the Olympic Games in 2016. Marconcini is the youngest in the picture, aged 32 so he fought against Valois-Fortier and Ciano.

Robert Krawczyk (44) was 2007 European Champion for Poland and long-time part of the Polish team. He took a bronze medal at the 2003 World Championships in Osaka and finished 5th at 2004 Athens Olympic Games and 2007 World Championships. He was part of the Polish team winning European bronze in 2012. He worked successfully as a coach for Belgium and won the Olympic bronze with Dirk van Tichelt. As coach of Beata Pacut he won the European title in 2021. In May 2022 he switched as a coach for Austria. He competed at the Olympic Games in 2000, 2004 and 2008. Krawczyk battled with Ciano and Maresch and three times against Budolin.

Judoka Sven Maresch (35) of SC Berlin grew to international level U81kg. He won European bronze in 2014. Sven won the European U23 Championships in 2009 in Antalya U81kg. He won Grand Prix and Grand Slams of Abu Dhabi, Moscow and Samsun. Maresch was European Junior Champion in 2006 and multiple German Champion. He competed at the Olympic Games in 2016. Maresch fought against Ciano, Valois-Fortier, Bruyere and Krawczyk.

Jaromir Jezek (35) of the Czech Republic won European bronze in 2011. He won the World Cup in Madrid in 2010 and won gold in Birmingham in 2007 and Vienna in 2008 among 9 World Cup medals. Jezek is multiple Czech champion U73kg. Competed at World Championships and the Olympics of Beijing and London2012. He won bronze at the European Open in Minsk in 2017. He competed at the Olympic Games in 2008, 2012 and 2016. Jezek competed against Bruyere twice.

Canadian judo coach Antoine Valois-Fortier (33) won the Olympic Games bronze in London 2012, in Rio he finished seventh. Valois-Fortier fought in the 2014 World Championships final vs Tchrikishvili and took bronze in 2015 and 2019 in the Budokan in Tokyo. He won 25 World Cup medals. In 2017 he won gold at the Grand Prix in Hohhot. Antoine took bronze at the Grand Prix in Tbilisi and Antalya in 2019. He took silver at the Grand Prix in Montreal and Zagreb and retired in December 2021 becomeing national coach of Canada to embark on a new Olympic cycle leading to Paris. He competed at the Olympic Games in 2012, 2016 and 2021. He fought against Bruyere, Ciano, Marconcini and Maresch.

They never fought each other in a final and never at World Championships or Olympic Games.