Aleksandre LOLADZE (GEO) settled for a bittersweet silver medal within the 2023 Junior World Championships however the primary seed in Tajikistan shall be hoping to greatest his earlier consequence and take the -81kg title. Motivating him much more shall be his current silver medal within the Junior European Championships the place he suffered defeat by the hands of Suleyman SHUKUROV (AZE), the third seed subsequent week. Nevertheless all the European podium; Igor TSURKAN (UKR) and Luka JAVAKHISHVILI (GEO) are taking house within the high eight, joined by Dominic RODRIGUEZ (USA), Erzhan KANATBEKOV (KGZ) and Luan ALMEIDA (BRA). Outdoors of the seeds and one of many youngest athletes is Boris RUTOVIC (SRB) who has made the transfer to juniors after utterly his European and world assortment as a cadet in 2023.
The -70kg class is equally numerous with high athletes from all over the world sharing the seeded locations, and a few of Europe’s strongest contenders be part of them. April Lynn FOHOU (SUI) managed a satisfying fifth place within the 2023 Junior World Championships however prior to now 12 months has honed her skills, profitable the Junior European Championships and holding the #2 spot on the earth rating checklist. Within the high 4 positions she is joined by the 2023 world bronze medallist Elena DENGG (AUT), who skipped the European Championships to arrange for her efficiency in Tajikistan. One other bronze medallist who was additionally lacking from the European line up is Kaja SCHUSTER, who has as a substitute been testing herself on the senior circuit, inserting fifth most not too long ago within the Zagreb Grand Prix. It appears that evidently Staff Serbia are intent on giving their children one of the best alternatives and have entered Aleksandra ANDRIC, with a cadet world and European title already to her identify, she impressed her opponents in Tallinn by claiming the bronze medal and can undoubtedly be taking that have together with her because the athletes head east.
We needn’t search for Serbian outsiders within the -90kg class because the WRL #2 and present Junior European Champion, Miljan RADULJ. Already claiming two Junior European bronze medals, the dedication was nice, however his preparation even higher for Tallinn, and as he’s lacking a junior world medal from his assortment, the motivation shall be great. Within the case of the -90kg class, the outlier comes from Azerbaijan however with a really acquainted identify. The Junior European silver medallist, Aslan KOTSOEV can boast a World and Olympic Champion brother within the -100kg class, Zelym. Clearly the judo expertise runs within the household as Zelyms youthful counterpart is selecting up main medals. Azerbaijan have double the luck and double the possibility of medals as European bronze medallist, Tuncay SHAMIL is a superb contender as nicely.
Europe have a robust maintain on this weight, with Oleksii BOLDYRIEV (SLO), Michal WASIKOWSKI (POL), Floris DEN HARTOG (NED), Ivan KUTENKOV (UKR) and Vadim GHIMBOVSCHI (MDA) are arguably at some benefit with seeded positions however all of them have one goal, the world ranked primary and defending Junior World Champion, KAWABATA Komei (JPN).
Writer: Thea Cowen
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