Finals of Day 1 in Qingdao with exciting lineups

Ilgar Mushkiyev of Azerbaijan is the favourite for the title in Qingdao U60kg against Jeroen Mooren (NED). Mushkiyev defeated Mooren five times. He won World bronze in 2011 in Paris. He fought the World Junior Championships final in 2009. He won three World Cups since 2011, as last the Grand Prix in Baku, more than 10 World Cup medals. He won European bronze in 2014.

Dutch lightweight Jeroen Mooren is 2005 European U23 Champion and European medallist in 2012. He is a doctor and won several international medals and Five Dutch national titles. Coached by Gerrie Theunissen. Won the World Cups in Budapest, Tunis, Madrid and Glasgow. Mooren won 5 national titles.

The final U66kg is a great match between the world’s number two Tumurkhuleg Dorjsuren (MGL) and Nijat Shikhalizada (7) from Azerbaijan. Shikhalizada is the 2005 World bronze medallist as youngest man ever. Shikhalizada was 2006 junior World Champion and 2005 European junior Champion. Won Tournoi de Paris in 2007 U60kg and Grand Prix Abu Dhabi (2012) and Tbilisi (2014). Had been suspended for a year but is fully back U66kg. Mongolian judoka Davaadorj Tumurkhuleg won various events such as the Grand Prix in 2015 in Mongolia. Davaadorj took the world #1 position U66kg and was double medallist at World Junior Championships. Davaadorj won the Asian Games in 2014 in Incheon. He won the Grand Slam of Paris in 2015.

The women’s lightweight final U48kg is between 2013 World Champion Munkhbat Urantsetseg (MGL) and current World Junior Champion Funa Tonaki from Japan. Tonaki recently won the Kodokan Cup in Japan and is in a good shape. The Japanese judoka was Asian Junior champion in 2013. She was Asian Junior champion in 2013 and won bronze at the FISU Universiade in 2015. In the seniors she won Grand Prix Budapest silver in 2015. She won the Kodokan Cup in 2015. A tough bout for Munkhbat who became World Champion 2013 in Rio de Janeiro. She won the Asian Games in 2014 in Incheon U48kg. Munkhbat was 7th at the Olympic Games in London U48kg. Munkhbat won the IJF World Masters in Rabat in 2015. Munkhbat won the Grand Prix Tashkent in 2015 and Grand Slam in Paris. Both have never met before.

A surprising but exciting final between Gulbadam Babamuratova and Yuka Nishida (JPN). Babamuratova became fifth at the 2015 World Championships. She is one of the best female judoka of Turkmenistan. She won a World Cup medal in Taipei in 2015 and participated at World Championships, Grand Slams and Grand Prix level. Babamuratova won the Grand Prix Tashkent in 2015. Yuka Nishida became World Champion in 2010 in Tokyo and world silver in 2011. 2007 World bronze medallist. Won the Junior world title in 2004 in Budapest. She won the Grand Slam in Paris in 2012. She won the Kodokan Cup in 2014 and 2015.

The final of the day is between Sumiya Dorjsoren of Mongolia, the world’s number one against Miryam Roper (GER). German Miryam Roper won World bronze in 2013 in Rio and captured three European medals,a final in 2014 and European Games bronze in 2015. Won various international IJF events and seems to be back when the tough gets going. Dorjsuren won bronze at the World Championships in 2015 in Astana. Dorjsuren won a medal at Asian Championships and claimed various international events such as the Grand Prix in Ulaanbaatar in 2015 where she defeated Olympic and World Champion Kaori Matsumoto.

Last year’s winners in Qingdao

U60kg Vincent Limare

U66kg Yakub Shamilov

U48kg Monica Ungureanu

U52kg Natalia Kuziutina

U57kg Miryam Roper