The new season in world judo starts in Paris.
Today Grand Slam tournament, which is unofficially called the small world championship, has started in the French capital, Idman.biz reports.
Some participants of Paris 2024 Olympics will also compete for medals in the first competition of the year at the same venue.
For Azerbaijani team, the trip to Paris is more of a test. Because the team is preparing for a long journey, and at the beginning of the season many are still far from their best form. In addition, the judokas do not forget about Grand Slam competition that will be held in Azerbaijan in two weeks.
In any case, considering the presence of both experienced athletes and debutants of the international arena in the squad, it is possible to expect pleasant surprises in France. For example, Huseyn Allahyarov (60 kg) won the U-23 European Championship last year and became the national champion, and now he will make his debut in Paris. The performances of Grand Slam winners Rashid Mammadaliyev (73 kg) and Omar Rajabli (81 kg), who have gained experience in elite competitions, are also eagerly awaited.
The only athlete from the current squad who participated in the Paris Olympics is Ushangi Kokauri (+100 kg). He has twice climbed the podium at Grand Slam competitions in France, winning silver and bronze medals. By the way, last year, our team won two silver medals at this tournament thanks to Zelim Tskayev (81 kg) and Eljan Hajiyev (90 kg). The latter is undergoing a recovery period after an injury, and Zelim will be seen at the Grand Slam to be held in Baku.
Undoubtedly, the main favorites of the competition in Paris are considered to be local judokas, who traditionally perform strongly at home. 73 kg is the most popular weight category, in which 35 athletes will participate. Belgian Matthias Kasse (81 kg) has the highest rating among the participants.
A total of 298 judokas from 50 countries will compete for victory in Paris.
Zaki Feyzullayev
Idman.biz
