Day 5: Lasha Bekauri about to defend his Olympic title

Day five of the Paris Olympics promises to be a thrilling spectacle in the judo tournament, particularly in the U70kg category for women and the under-90kg category for men. The women's competition is especially open, with no clear favorites and numerous title contenders. As for the men's side, all eyes will be on Lasha Bekauri, who aims to defend his Olympic title.

Starting with the women’s U70kg category, the field is predominantly European, with the exception of Japan's Saki Niizoe, seeded fifth. Barbara Matic of Croatia, a double World Champion and the current European Champion, will be carrying her country’s flag at the opening ceremony. Matic, the top seed, has been exceptional this Olympic cycle and is poised for what could be her biggest triumph yet.

France’s Marie Eve Gahie, the 2023 European Champion and former World Champion, is another strong contender. Gahie recently reached the World final and has the advantage of competing in front of a supportive home crowd, which could propel her to the finals. 

Greek judoka Elisavet Teltsidou, who could face Matic in a repeat of the European Championship final, is another formidable competitor. Austrian Michaela Polleres, the Tokyo silver medalist and flag bearer for her country, is highly motivated to surpass her previous Olympic performance and capture the elusive gold.

Dutch judoka Sanne Van Dijke, a World and Olympic medalist, has strategically reduced her competition schedule to recover and prepare optimally for Paris. Germany’s Miriam Butkereit, after recovering from an injury at the European Championships, is back in form and ready to challenge for a medal. Spain's Ai Tsunoda Roustant, a young and promising talent, will also be a strong contender.

Italy’s Kim Polling is another intriguing participant. After transferring from the Netherlands and qualifying for the Olympics this year, Polling's journey has been nothing short of a fairytale, balancing her return to the sport with family life. Competing for Italy, she looks to cap off her storybook year with a strong performance in Paris. She will face youngster Pina (POR) which is a nasty hurdle to take.

In Pool A, there's Barbara Matic (CRO) and Ai Tsunoda Roustant (ESP).
In Pool B, there's Sanne Van Dijke and Saki Niizoe (JPN).
In Pool C, Elisavet Teltshidou has a pretty clear path.
In Pool D, there's Michaela Polleres (AUT) and Marie Eve Gahie (FRA)

In the men's under-90kg category, Lasha Bekauri of Georgia is set to defend his Tokyo Olympic title as the top seed. Known for his dynamic judo, Bekauri’s matches promise to be a highlight of the day. Serbia's Nemanja Majdov, who has risen in the rankings over the past seven months, securing a European title and reaching the World final, is another key competitor.

Hungary’s Toth Krisztian, an Olympic bronze medalist and one of the most consistent performers in the -90kg category, is still in pursuit of a major gold medal. This could be his year to achieve that goal. 

Turkey’s Mihael Zgank is another potential champion. After a strong finish to 2023 and a gold medal at the Paris Grand Slam in early 2024, he is riding high on confidence. Italy’s Christian Parlati, a crucial member of the Italian team, rounds out the top eight and is expected to perform at his best in this major event.

Outside the seeded positions, there are several developing talents to watch. Spain's Tristani Mosakhlishvili, a World bronze medalist, and Azerbaijan’s Eljan Hajiyev, the current European Champion, are both capable of causing upsets. A late entry to note is Germany’s Eduard Trippel, the Olympic silver medalist, who remains an outsider but could surprise again.

In Pool A, Lasha Bekauri (GEO) will probably emerge victorious.
In Pool B, Krisztian Toth (HUN) to prevail.
In Pool C, it will probably be Nemanja Majdov (SRB) who gets through.
In Pool D, Sanshiro Murao (JPN) has a pretty clear path.

The fifth day of judo at the Paris Olympics will undoubtedly be packed with excitement.