IJF World Tour back in Tashkent

The IJF World Tour 2023 continues this weekend with the Tashkent Grand Slam, as we return to the Uzbek capital for the second time in 5 months, following a successful world championships in October last year. Among the 364 competitors, hailing from 49 countries, 11 stood on a podium at those world championships and return to Tashkent hoping for more success. Of those 11, five will be sporting a red backpatch, having taken the top spot and being crowned world champions and there will be plenty of challengers targeting them at this event.

-48kg: Age is Just a Number

Number 3 seed Katharina Menz (GER) secured her first ever medal at a world championship back in October, two days before her 32nd birthday and after well over 10 years competing at the highest level; a reminder to other athletes that their persistence really can pay off. She will be hoping to go one further and top the podium on her return to Uzbekistan but will face stiff competition from number 1 seed Costa (POR) and multiple World Judo Tour medallist Martinez Abelenda (ESP).

Up-and-coming Beder (TUR), the consistent Stangar (SLO) and surprise Portugal Grand Prix finalist Tynbaeva (KAZ) will be looking to disrupt proceedings and make their way onto the podium.

-60kg: Georgian Redemption?

In-form Cedric Revol (FRA) takes pole position in the -60kg category, with two medals from two attempts on the World Tour this year. Converting that top seeding into a first grand slam gold will be tricky however, not least with 2019 world champion Chkhvimiani (GEO) in his way as number 2 seed. Chkhvimiani will be on the hunt for redemption after his loss in the early rounds to Katz (AUS) in Tel Aviv.

There will also be challenges from two home fighters in the form of Baratov and Bakhtiyorov. The former narrowly missed out on a medal in Tashkent last time around, while the latter comes off the back of a solid bronze in Paris.

Perhaps the stiffest test for the Frenchman will come from Kim Won Jin (KOR), who makes only his third international outing since placing 5th at the Tokyo Olympics; the other two, at the Zagreb Grand Prix and Asian Championships in 2022, both resulted in silver medals for the Korean.

-52kg: Hosts Versus Japan

Diyora Keldiyorova (UZB) will have been disappointed to not make the podium at her home world championships and will be looking to put that right in Tashkent this time around. Standing in her way will be compatriot Kadamboeva but more prominently number 1 seed Pupp (HUN), before a potential final match-up with twice world champion Shishime (JPN), who continues to add to her astonishing medal tally with each event. In fact, the Japanese judoka has won a medal at every single one of the 26 World Judo Tour events she has attended in her career, with the exception of the Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam 2022, a truly remarkable feat. However, Keldiyorova will take heart from the fact that she got the better of Shishime in their last encounter, in the final of the Asian Championships last year.

-66kg: Home Crowd Adding Value

With 9 out of the top 10 ranked -66kg players absent from Uzbekistan at this edition, who will top the podium is anybody’s guess. The top seed is Walide Khyar (FRA), who recently beat the top 2 Uzbek players in the category, Nurillaev and Tilovov, on his way to winning bronze at the 2022 Masters in Jerusalem. But with the home crowd behind them this time, the Uzbek men will be confident of reversing their fortunes in Tashkent.

Other contenders include Gusman Kyrgyzbaev (KAZ), who is slowly finding his feet in his new weight category, and Matteo Piras (ITA), who won his first World Judo Tour medals in the 2nd half of 2022, with a silver in Zagreb and a bronze in Abu Dhabi. In with an outside shot are Kuanov (KAZ) and Garcia Torne (ESP). Both are working their way up the rankings steadily; the Kazakh took the other bronze in Abu Dhabi last year, while the Spaniard won bronze in Baku in November.

-57kg: The Top Four Could be the Top Four

Barring any major upsets, the final of the -57kg category is likely to be contested by the top 2 seeds, Liparteliani (GEO) and Tamaoki (JPN). The Japanese has had the edge over the Georgian in both of their previous contests, so she will be confident of history repeating itself here. However, we can’t rule out any surprises from the number 3 and 4 seeds, Starke (GER) and Lien (TPE). The German has been steadily improving her world ranking, with a silver in Tbilisi last year and a couple more top 8 finishes, while Lien is hoping to return to a World Tour podium once again.

Elsewhere, 8th seed Lima (BRA) will be hoping to find the kind of form that allowed her to overcome Liparteliani in Antalya last year on her way to winning bronze.