At first look, the Warsaw European Open 2025 will already be a troublesome match with 581 judoka from an unbelievable 44 nations, nonetheless the highest ranked judoka begin at #24 on this planet, or so it appears. Far past any ranked athlete, two of one of the best athletes on this planet are flying beneath the radar.
World Champions and Olympic medallist, Giorgi SARDALASHVILI and Tato GRIGALASHVILI of Georgia will probably be competing in Poland on the twenty second and twenty third of February, solely this time in weight classes above their common footing. Each judoka are ranked at #1 on this planet of their respective classes; -60kg and -81kg, nonetheless an introduction again to competitors is required. That being stated, Grigalashvili can even be competing at -90kg within the Higher Austria Grand Prix, and so raises the query: might this be a everlasting transfer?
So avoiding the present World Champion, Sardalashvili, within the -60kg are the likes Artem LESIUK (UKR) who took the gold within the Rome European Open and because the prime seed will hope to make it to the highest podium place once more. In addition to the extra skilled, there are various youthful judoka hoping to battle by way of for a medal, together with one of many host nations youngest entries, Jakub KUROWSKI who has taken medals within the Cadet European, Cadet World and U23 European Championships in 2024.
Within the -73kg we’ll see the return of 2022 Grasp champion and Olympian, Baruch SHMAILOV (ISR), once more a brand new weight class so he will certainly trigger upset to the seeded athletes within the opening rounds. Poland will probably be pleased to have Adam STODOLSKI main the class, in addition to 2022 Warsaw European Open winner, Wiktor MROWCZYNSKI.
Pawel DRZYMAL (POL) took the win in Ljubljana solely a few weeks in the past, and would be the #3 seed stepping into to this occasion on house soil, however might want to surpass the highest two seeds; Mykhailo SVIDRAK (UKR) and Aurelien BONFERRONI (SUI). Success at -73kg, Adrian SULCA (ROU) continues on his mission to interrupt by way of on to the senior circuit after changing into a Junior World Champion. Coming second to Drzymal within the Ljubljana European Open was WRL #132, Igor TSURKAN (UKR) who may have a refreshed drive in Warsaw.
All the -90kg rivals have to convey their A-game with Grigalashvili of their midst. As he’s coming in unranked it will likely be not possible to know the place he’ll find yourself within the draw, so all seeds will probably be envisioning an Almighty closing with the Olympic silver medallist. Prime of the checklist is likely one of the extra expertise judoka, David KLAMMERT (CZE) who took silver within the Dushanbe Grand Slam final yr, in addition to Ljubljana European Open medallists, Daniel NIETO TRINIDAD (ESP) and Teo L HERBIER (FRA).
Rhys THOMPSON (GBR) heads the -100kg class, steadily climbing the rating, final yr he positioned third within the Warsaw European Open however later within the yr was within the closing of the Zagreb Grand Prix, in addition to medalling in additional European Open occasions. Thompson will probably be challenged by Iosif SIMIN (ISR) who took third place in Zagreb however succeeded earlier within the yr, taking gold within the Madrid European Open. Final yr was his first competing for Israel on the worldwide circuit and he seems to be to be a robust contender for the long run.
The house crowd will probably be rallying for the heavyweight males within the +100kg, Grzegorz TERESINSKI is main the cost, with Patryk BRONIEC within the third seeded place. Nevertheless there are some large names coming to steal the limelight; World medallist, Yakiv KHAMMO (UKR) and Mikita SVIRYD (CRO) is making a comeback, which began in Ljubljana beneath his new flag.
Writer: Thea Cowen
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