Japan sends its Olympic top candidates to Grand Slam Antalya

For the forthcoming Grand Slam in Antalya, Japan has decided to showcase its Olympic champions and top athletes one last time before the Olympics. The Grand Slam in Antalya, is scheduled from March 29 to 31.

Among the eight judokas selected are the notable siblings Hifumi and Uta Abe, along with Natsumi Tsunoda, the three-time reigning world champions. The team is considered part of the Olympic Games and the Grand Slam will give an insight of the strength of the Japanese top favourites. In 2021 Hifumi Abe was the ony Japanese male winner ever in Antalya's Grand Slam.

This announcement adds even more excitement to the already significant event, which will feature a total of 611 judoka from 97 countries. Interesting is that we will also see the strength of the team from the Independent Neutral Athletes (AIN) with a registered team of 25 athletes, however without world champion Inal Tasoev. Arman Adamian will appear and he is in a battle with Matvey Kanikovskiy but the damage is already done. Of the 2021 Olympic Games medallists only Madina Taimazova will be in Antalya.

It's undoubtedly shaping up to be the last major competition before the world championships in Abu Dhabi and the highly anticipated Olympic Games this summer.

Men's Selection Japan:

-66kg: Hifumi Abe

-81kg: Takanori Nagase

-90kg: Sanshiro Murao

-100kg: Aaron Wolf

+100kg: Tatsuru Saito

Women's Selection Japan:

-48kg: Natsumi Tsunoda

-52kg: Uta Abe

-63kg: Miku Takaichi

Watch all teams for Antalya