The fifth edition of judo’s premier u18 competition is the first World Judo Championships in this age group to emanate from South America and marks the IJF’s first visit to Chile.
Budapest, which hosts the 2017 Suzuki World Judo Championships from 28 August – 3 September, staged the inaugural Cadet World Championships in 2009 and was followed by Kiev (2011), Miami (2013) and Sarajevo (2015).
The official draw of the Cadet World Judo Championships 2017
Winners from the first instalment of cadet action on the worlds stage included Rio 2016 Olympic champion Khasan KHALMURZAEV (RUS), former world champion and Rio 2016 Olympic bronze medallist TAKATO Naohisa (JPN), double world bronze medallist TASHIRO Miku (JPN) and former World Judo Masters winner ENDO Hiromi (JPN).
This competition is a stepping stone for young judoka to experience a top-level competition in an IJF setting under the spotlights of the cameras and with substantial domestic and international media interest.
As the next five days introduce the Paris 2024 hopefuls and LA 2028 Olympic hopefuls, the world will witness the first ever mixed team event at an IJF competition following the recent announcement that judo will showcase team judo for the first time at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Mr. Vladimir BARTA (left), IJF Head Sports Director, conducted the draw
Mr. Mohamed MERIJDA (above - right), IJF Education and Coaching Director, said: “Dear President, dear ladies and gentlemen, the IJF is very glad that the Cadet World Championships are being organised for first time in South America. Our President Mr. Marius VIZER extends his appreciation for the organisation of this event and wishes everyone success.
“Chile is a dynamic country which has a great future and we hope that judo will be an important part of this. I wish you all the best of luck.”
Mr. Aquiles GOMEZ GUZMAN (above), Chile Judo Federation President, said: “Good afternoon everyone, I welcome you all here to Chile, it is a pleasure to see you all in our country.
“For our country and for myself it is very important to have 64 nations competing here at these World Championships. I wish to thank the IJF President Mr. Marius VIZER for this opportunity for us and our country.”
GIRLS
-40kg
The lightest weight category of the competition will feature EYOF winner Jente VERSTRAETEN (BEL), 14-year-old Cadet European Championships winner Anastasiia BALABAN (UKR) and 15-year-old tai-otoshi specialist Aiym ZHUMAGALIYEVA (KAZ). The Belgian favourite is her country’s only representative and will expect to compete for a medal in a category which the European nation have had significant success in during the last few years.
-44kg
Junior Pan American Championships winner Laura FERREIRA (BRA) is at her best on her home continent and will be the early favourite in the -44kg category. The 17-year-old won the Cadet Pan American Championships and Junior Pan American Championships in successive days in July and has the skills and experience to find a route past judoka such as Cadet African Championships victor Donia WUESLATI (TUN), Cadet European Championships bronze medallist Nikola SZLACHTA (POL) and 2015 Cadet World Championships silver medallist BAASANSUREN Oidovchimed (MGL).
-48kg
EYOF winner Andrea STOJADINOV (SRB) will lead the Serbian team into action in Chile. The 17-year-old took silver at the Cadet European Championships and has been tipped to win her first Worlds medal at the first time of asking. Cadet European Championships winner Mascha BALLHAUS (GER) is one of the most prolific medallists in this category with a podium finish in her last eight events. Cadet Asian Championships gold medallist Sita KADAMBOEVA (UZB) is part of an exciting crop of young female judoka from the Asian nation and travels outside of Asia for the first time.
-52kg
Junior Asian Championships silver medallist HSU Lin Hsuan (TPE) is one of her country’s top prospects and at 16 has already enjoyed success at the cadet and junior level. Four-time continental cup winner HSU has made the longest trip of her young career to compete at the Cadet Worlds and will expect to return with some extra luggage. Junior Pan American Championships silver medallist Jessica OCAMPO (COL), Cadet Pan American Championships silver medallist Nicole FRANZOI (BRA) and Cadet Asian Championships silver medallist Meruyert SARSENOVA (KAZ) all come into the competition on back of medal-winning appearances at their respective continental championships.
-57kg
Cadet European Championships winner Lara CVJETKO (CRO) lost out in her first contest at the EYOF last time out and has the considerable task of returning to winning ways at the strongest competition in her age group. CVJETKO, 15, will hope to win one more Worlds medal for Croatia’s expanding roster of exceptional female talents at the expense of judoka such as Cadet Pan American Championships gold medallist Bruna BEREZA (BRA), Cadet European Championships silver medallist Giovanna FUSCO (ITA) and EYOF champion Kaja KAJZER (SLO).
-63kg
EYOF silver medallist Anja OBRADOVIC (SRB) has Cadet World Championships experience having won a bronze medal two years ago in Sarajevo. The 17-year-old won the Cadet European Championships in June and is now in a prime position to mount a substantial challenge for the top prize in Santiago. Cadet Pan American Championships winner Gabriella MORAES (BRA) and Cadet Asian Championships bronze medallist YUAN Pei Chun (TPE) will all see their continental honours as the platform to win a Worlds medal in Chile.
-70kg
Two-time and reigning Cadet African Championships winner Safa JELASSI (TUN) is the number one seed in the -70kg category. The 17-year-old ippon-seoi-nage specialist will face new opposition, a new competition and new country which will put her on a level playing field with standouts including Cadet European Championships winner Marlene GALANDI (GER), Cadet Pan American Championships gold medallist Eduarda ROSA (BRA), Cadet European Championships bronze medallist Martina ESPOSITO (ITA) and Cadet Asian Championships runner-up LIU Li-Ling (TPE).
+70kg
Junior African Championships silver medallist Fatma ABIDI (TUN) is the top seed in the heaviest girls’ weight category. The 16-year-old went unbeaten at the Cadet African Championships in June but will now be facing the best of judo’s powerhouse nations such as Japan, Russia, France and Brazil. Cadet European Championships silver medallist Daria VLADIMIROVA (RUS), Cadet Pan American Championships winner Luiza CRUZ (BRA) and one-time Cadet European Cup winner YONEKAWA Akiho (JPN) could all impose themselves in the competition but it will be the latter who should command the most attention with one gold medal from one international competition in 2017.
BOYS
-50kg
Cadet European Championships winner Georgii TRETIAKOV (RUS) is riding a 17-fight win streak which has seen him scoop three Cadet European Cups in addition to his continental crown. The 16-year-old competes outside of Europe for the first time and will also make his World Championships debut. European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) winner FECZKO Csanad (HUN) triumphed in his homeland in July but lost the Cadet European Championships final to TRETIAKOV and both judoka will have a major say in the fate of the -50kg title in Santiago.
-55kg
EYOF and Cadet European Championships winner Mihrac AKKUS (TUR) is in pole position for World gold. The 17-year-old has only been beaten once this year and will achieve the best result of his budding career if he can go unbeaten in Chile. Cadet European Championships bronze medallist Abrek NAGUCHEV (RUS) is one of the least experienced and youngest judoka in the competition at 15 years of age but has a world of potential and could go all the way in the -55kg category.
-60kg
Cadet European Championships winner Kazbek NAGUCHEV (RUS) is the number one seed and is riding a 21-fight win streak as one of the most consistent judoka at the cadet level. The 17-year-old has won four gold medals from four competitions in 2017 and could make it five from five in South America. Cadet Pan American Championships winner Willian LIMA (BRA) will be a leading force while Cadet Asian Championships winner BAYANMUNKH Narmandakh (MGL) is back for a second crack at winning the biggest tournament for u18 judoka having won bronze at the last edition in 2015 in Sarajevo.
-66kg
Cadet European Championships bronze medallist Dmitrii PRIDIRA (RUS) is the top seed in the -66kg category ahead of former Cadet European Championships winner Artjoms GALAKTIONOVS (LAT) who won bronze at EYOF 2017. Both judoka will be front-runners while Pan American Championships winner Marcos SANTOS (BRA) also has the credentials to make the step up from continental to world honours.
-73kg
Cadet European Championships gold medallist Lasha BEKAURI (GEO) has arrived in Santiago on the back of three successive victories and will be one of Georgian’s top medal hopes in Chile’s capital city. The Tbilisi-based judoka won two Cadet European Cup events before winning the European title in June and starts as the favourite for the -73kg title this week. BEKAURI defeated Kenny Komi BEDEL (ITA) to win his latest gold medal and the Italian will be aiming for the reverse this time around while Cadet and Junior Oceania Championships winner Uros NIKOLIC (AUS) will be hoping for a longer day than his one contest at the 2015 Cadet Worlds.
-81kg
Cadet Asian Championships winner Dzhakhongir MADZHIDOV (TJK) will compete in a new continent and at a new level in his young career when he dons his Tajikistan judogi on Friday. The 17-year-old has the winner of the European version of the continental championships, Mert SISMANLAR (TUR), for company along with EYOF bronze medallist Eugen MATVEICIUC (MDA) and Agustin GIL (ARG) who won the Pan American Championships at the u18 level on 1 July.
-90kg
EYOF winner Mikheili BEKAURI (GEO) has the enormous responsibility of representing Georgia in their best weight category in the first World Judo Championships of 2017. BEKAURI, 17, who took silver at the Cadet European Championships, will be in the field of vision of Cadet European Championships bronze medallist Valeriy ENDOVITSKIY (RUS), Cadet European Championships winner Enrico BERGAMELLI (ITA) and 16-year-old Cadet Asian Champions gold medallist Bekarys SADUAKAS (KAZ).
+90kg
Heavyweight hope David BABAYAN (RUS) has been working his way through the entire division at the u18 level with a run of five tournament wins in a row. BABAYAN has won his last 20 contests and will need to produce his best judo to extend that rich vein of form with judoka such as EYOF bronze medallists Levan TCHELIDZE (GEO) and the highly-rated Omer AYDIN (TUR) poised for action alongside 16-year-old Junior Asian Championships winner KIM Minjong (KOR).
COMPETITION PROGRAMME
Wednesday 9 August
11:00 Preliminaries on three mats
15:30 Opening ceremony
16:00 Final block on two mats
Girls: -40kg, -44kg
Boys: -50kg, -55kg
Thursday 10 August
11:00 Preliminaries on three mats
16:00 Final block on two mats
Girls: -48kg, -52kg
Boys: -60kg, -66kg
Friday 11 August
11:00 Preliminaries on three mats
16:00 Final block on two mats
Girls: -57kg, -63kg
Boys: -73kg, -81kg
Saturday 12 August
11:00 Preliminaries on three mats
16:00 Final block on two mats
Girls: -70kg, +70kg
Boys: -90kg, +90kg
Sunday - Mixed Team Competition
11:00 Preliminaries on two mats
17:00 Final block on two mats
Location: Santiago National Stadium