Manuel Lombardo eyeing at first podium in Paris

The category U73kg will be super interesting at the forthcoming Grand Slam in Paris. With some of the top contenders in Paris, the French capital will deliver a prestigious tournament. Six months after the Olympic Games, Paris will again host a top event with a rich mix of the expected and unexpected, stirred in with those coming back after a little time away.

The first point of note is the robust tier of extremely capable judoka poised to pounce on the rostrum at U73 kg. There’s no telling who will win the gold or any of the four medals, for that matter, as the field is so varied but at the same time universally exciting.
Manuel Lombardo (ITA) has never won a Paris medal but he won the last two grand slams of the Olympic qualification period; this is the Italian on his way to gold in Kazakstan, May 2024.
Lombardo’s (ITA) ability is never in question but his consistency is. When he’s on top form he’s unstoppable but that form is never guaranteed. He will be chased by fighters such as Akil Gjakova (KOS), a European and Paris medallist, an Olympian, one who placed 5th in Paris just as the Italian did in both Paris 2024 and Tokyo 2021.
There’s 2012 Olympic champion and 3 time Olympic medallist Lasha Shavdatuashvili (GEO), a 32 year old capable of surprising anyone in the list. How about Rashid Mammadaliyev (AZE) who was at one point qualified for Paris but couldn’t go as the ticket belonged to Heydarov, a selection now backed by unshakable merit. Jack Yonezuka (USA), the American ne-waza specialist, Vusal Galandarzade (AZE), the junior world number one, Benjamin Axus (FRA) who was ahead of the French pick for the Games in the world ranking but had to tip Joan Benjamin Gaba the nod once he won an Olympic silver medal, all want medals and proof that they will be in the mix at the biggest events of the coming months and years.