One - The second of the Canadian rivalries will be front and centre in Doha as 2022 world silver medallist Kyle Reyes, ranked 5th in the world, finds himself in the same quarter of the draw as Shady Elnahas who sits at 4th on the WRL.
Despite their incredibly close points and neck-and-neck ranking, they have only met twice in international competition, with Shady taking both wins, once at the 2022 Commonwealth Games final and once in the semi-final of the continental championships. Trend says Reyes is on better form right now but both have placed in the top 8 in their last 7 joint outings. Medals in Antalya this year and Abu Dhabi and the worlds at the end of last year are pushing Elnahas hard and let’s remember they are also one Games apiece with Reyes taking the Rio 2016 slot and Elnahas travelling to Tokyo in 2021.
Elnahas must pass Minaskin (EST) and possibly Bezdek to reach that potential domestic quarter-final while Reyes has arguably a tougher line-up with Nikiforov (BEL) and Buzacarini (BRA) in the mix. Let’s also note that whichever Canadian makes it to the semi-final, he is likely to bump into an inspired Sulamanidze (GEO), the world number one and gold medal winner in Tbilisi, Portugal and Jerusalem in recent months. He will want to join Tato and Luka in the campaign to take Japan’s crown.
Two - Michael Korrel should have earned himself a peaceful early phase on competition day by getting himself into the number 2 slot after winning Paris and taking a bronze at the last worlds. However, his quarter includes the very dangerous, very experienced Liparteliani (GEO) who is riding high after watching his teammates take two golds and a silver over the last two days. Georgia is making a play for greatness at this worlds and Lipo will want to be part of that.
However, there’s a fly in Korrel and Liparteliani’s ointment in the shape of an unseeded double Olympic and double world champion from Czechia. Krpalek is on the hunt for some records, some history-making, looking towards the podium back at -100kg having completed judo at +100kg in Tokyo. Korrel and Krpalek have a 5:2 record in favour of Krpalek but this is the worlds and Korrel isn’t number 2 without reason.
Three - Pool D at -100kg might be among the craziest, most exciting of the championships. Zelym Kotsoiev (AZE) tops the pool on ranking because he has gold or bronze from each of his last 6 events, including taking a world bronze in Tashkent. He can beat anyone and will face anyone head-on but he has his work cut out with Kukolj, Paltchik and Iida below him in the draw. All that’s before we quietly mention the first round contest between current world champion Muzaffarbek Turoboyev (UZB) and the Japanese, or the Austrian nightmare who throws in a style reminiscent of Khabareli and came from almost nowhere to win every fight that way in Antalya 5 weeks ago. It was his first grand slam gold and gave us a glimpse of what he might be capable of.
After a string of excellent junior results in 2016, Aaron Fara fought in the Tokyo Grand Slam that year, his first outing on the World Judo Tour. He was still a teenager. Since then he took a solitary bronze in Cancun in 2018 but had no further results until March this year. Silver in Tashkent and gold in Turkiye mean he’s on form and at 25 years old and with 7 years of trying at senior level, his patience is paying off. If he can get through that field, whoever survives that quarter, deserves a medal!
