What to know and who to watch during the judo competition in the 2024 Olympics

Tracing its roots to the ancient Samurai traditions in Japan, Judo has grown to become an Olympic sport over the centuries. In the upcoming 2024 Olympic games in Paris, this martial arts sport will continue captivating the global audience with its unique combination of physical skill and mental discipline. The tournament will bring together 372 Judokas competing over eight days, starting from 27th July to 3rd August.

Here's what Judo fans need to know about the 2024 Paris Olympic games, including athletes to watch and storylines to follow.

Judokas to watch in the 2024 Paris Olympics

Judo events are highly anticipated in the Paris 2024 Olympics games, with multiple star athletes expected to dominate this event. Sports betting sites at nihonlinecasino.com rank Frenchman Teddy Riner as the bookie’s favorite in the heavyweight division, although there are other top contenders. Here is a list of top Judo athletes to watch in Paris.

Teddy Riner (France)

Teddy Riner is currently the most famous judoka in the world and he will be attempting to cap his impressive career by bagging his third individual gold in the Olympics. The 35-year-old French athlete went down in a disappointing quarterfinal loss in Tokyo, although the 11-time heavyweight champion won gold with the mixed team.

Hifumi Abe and Uta Abe (Japan)

Japan’s Hifumi and Uta Abe will be attempting to win individual gold medals again on the same day as they did in the last Olympics. The Japanese siblings accomplished this unprecedented feat in Tokyo three years ago and they have won world championship trophies in the last two years.

Lukas Krpalek (Czech Republic)

Krpalek might beat Riner to history this year in Paris. The two-time Olympic champion seized the heavyweight gold medal in Tokyo three years ago after Riner fell short. However, Krpalek and Riner have not faced each other since 2019. Perhaps the Czech judoka can also win a third Olympic medal in the same heavyweight category as Riner.

Clarisse Agbegnenou (France)

Clarisse is a six-time World Judo champion and the favorite female athlete to win the Olympic gold medal for the second time. The French judoka will be making an Olympic comeback post-maternity, trying to add another title in front of her home audience.

Storylines to follow in Paris 2024

The 2024 Paris Olympic tournament will feature repeat bouts between two judo powerhouses; France and Japan. Both countries have qualified athletes in 14 weight classes, ranging from Teddy Riner to Uta Abe. The Japanese side won nine gold medals three years ago and the French team is packed with skilled gold-medal contenders for their home games. As such, everything is building to a scintillating matchup between the two countries.

Besides the faceoff between the hosts France and Japan, Riner’s pursuit to record history will be among the biggest stories in the competition. However, with the French Judoka in the second half of his pro career and Japanese Shohei Ono retiring, the stage is ready for other top contenders to make a name for themselves as the top Judoka in the world.