The die is therefore cast. For several weeks, all judo enthusiasts and fans have been impatiently awaiting this moment; the wait is over for our greatest pleasure.
The least we can say is that the three days of competition which open in a few hours will be very competitive, since the Portugal Grand Prix 2024 welcomes a record number of judoka. There are 624 athletes (280 women, 344 men) from 90 countries who will compete in the 14 weight categories. This record participation was highlighted by the official guests of the draw. The International Judo Federation was represented by Florin Daniel Lascau, Head Refereeing Director, Mohamed Meridja, Education and Coaching Director, and Armen Bagdasarov Head Refereeing Director. On the Portuguese side, it was an honour to welcome Sergio Pina, President of the Portuguese Judo Federation, Jose Manuel Constantino, President of the National Olympic Committee of Portugal, and Francisco Baptista, Odivelas City Councillor.
Florian Daniel Lascau said, "In the name of our president, Marius Vizer, we are happy to welcome all the judoka who come to Portugal at the beginning of this Olympic year. I want to underline the great co-operation between the IJF, the national federation, the National Olympic Committee and the city of Odivelas and I wish good luck to all participants."
Sergio Pina declared, "Dear judo friends. It’s a great honour to welcome you all to Grand Prix Portugal 2024. On behalf of the Portuguese Judo Federation, I would like to thank IJF President Mr Marius Vizer for giving us the opportunity to organise, once again, this important IJF World Judo Tour event. This is the first Olympic qualification event in 2024, year of the Paris Olympic Games and, with a record number of judoka in attendance, we feel even more the responsibility of this organisation.
I am pleased to welcome so many judo lovers who share the values of fair play, equal opportunities and education, promoted by the judo world. Grand Prix Portugal 2024 is expecting to welcome 90 nations and over 600 athletes, along with a large audience in attendance. It is a demanding and difficult task and I want to express my gratitude to the entire organising committee and our partners for their enthusiasm, surrounding our sport. Furthermore, I would like to extend my thanks to the authorities for their support of this event, namely the Portuguese Sport Institute, the Portuguese Olympic Committee and Odivelas City Council.
I hope you will enjoy your stay, your achievements and your time spent in Portugal! Thank you and good luck!"
Francisco Baptista added, "Odivelas is once again the home of world judo. We welcome everyone who has come to participate. More than a responsibility, it is an honour to be part of the organisation. This is something special because of the quality of the competitors and what they represent. I wish that your goals are achieved. Let the show begin!"
Jose Manuel Constantino concluded, "This is a great pleasure for us, to receive the Portugal Grand Prix 2024. I wish for all the participants, athletes, coaches and teams, the best. I wish them success. Welcome to Portugal."
From the first day of competition, the lights will come on, on the World Judo Tour, at 7:30 a.m, beginning on Friday 26th January. For days two and three the competition will begin at 8 a.m. Each day, the final block will begin at 5 p.m. The rocket is launched and nothing can stop it.
Visit https://judotv.com/ and our website to follow the competition live. We are waiting for you.