Audrey Tcheumeo best guess for prolongation of Europe's best U78kg

An nice equal distribution over most continents is the picture that the current World Ranking gives us with Kayla Harrison leading the dance U78kg followed by Audrey Tcheumeo. Both ladies together with Mayra Aguiar have dominated the World ranking last year. A few Europeans in the top 10 and the best ones will be seeded in Baku’s European Games.

The category U78kg is far from a European ball game. At the London Games Gemma Gibbons won an inspired silver and Tcheumeo bronze. The French was also the most stable at the last two World Championships taking bronze (2013) and silver (2014). Furthermore Ana Velensek won a bronze medal in 2013, the Slovenian is also one of the outsiders for a European Games medal, or even the title. The French have dominated the European championships the last two years with gold for Louette (2013) and Tcheumeo last year in Montpellier where she defeated Marhinde Verkerk. The Dutch came back from an injury and took bronze two weeks ago in Budapest which is a good grade of form. Her Dutch rival Guusje Steenhuis is also in the race for Olympic qualification and both are seeded in Baku.

Ana Velensek may be the biggest rival for Tcheumeo. She won the Grand Prix in Zagreb twice in a row and silver this year in Dusseldorf losing to her nemesis Harrison. Last year the victory in Paris was one of her highlights and the Slovenian beat the best so far.

German Luise Malzahn proved to be a smart judoka who can take a medal anytime. Fifth place last time in Montpellier but bronze in this year’s events in Budapest, Rabat and Samsun which says enough about Malzahn.

The tall Abigel Joo (HUN) can have amazing days but also vulnerable, at the Olympic Games she was magical but got injured. British Natalie Powell is an outsider for the title. She was in the final though of the IJF masters and is in shape in time although she lost to Verkerk in Budapest lately. Dark horse is Daria Pogorzelec (POL) although she is not that dark anymore, she showcased great judo and can be expected in Baku as well but isn’t seeded. Neither is tall Madeleine Malonga who won the Casablanca open in the beginning of the season and Grand Prix of Samsun. If she has the same form, France may have another ace in this category.