When we look closely at the list of judoka present in Austria, we can indeed expect a great show. While the next major events are fast approaching, such as the World Senior Championships 2025 Hungary, which will take place in June this year, this weekend’s grand prix will allow us to learn more about the forces present and about the athletes who are already fully launched into the race for the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028. Although the road is still long, it passes through Austria.
Among the tournament's top seeds, we find the former world champion and Olympic medallist, Matthias Casse (BEL), who after his disappointment at the Paris 2024 Games, is getting back into the race. Ranked number three in the world, he will be keen to rediscover the taste of victory.
At -48 kg, we will watch the performance of Assunta Scutto (ITA), seventh in Paris last summer, but a finalist at the last world championships. Third at the Paris 2025 Grand Slam, Distria Krasniqi (KOS) will make a remarkable new appearance on the circuit. Olympic champion at the Tokyo Games in 2021 and a finalist at Paris 2024, she remains a sure bet in the -52 kg category.
These three athletes, Casse, Scutto and Krasniqi are all number three in the world. There will be a fourth athlete who also occupies this place in the World Ranking List, Lara Cvjetko (CRO), who will also be seeded number 1 at this tournament.
If we look a little further down the list of participants, we notice that the number of competitors who can hope and aim for a medal is very high. There will be a great show in Linz during the weekend.
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