“Tcheumeo (FRA) and Krpalek (CZE) showed that we must never discount the older players as their experience brings them a different confidence and ability to win. Today Audrey Tcheumeo is on her best form just as she was when she won the worlds back in 2011. Everything she does here, she succeeds with and it has been beautiful.”
At 33 years old, Tcheumeo has seen and done it all and has no fear, never has had. She won gold at the worlds in 2011, then bronze in 2013 in Rio and followed it up with a silver in Chelyabinsk. This was her 3rd world final, therefore, to add to her two Olympic medals from London and Rio. She also has 4 European titles spanning the period 2011 to 2017. Her CV is awe-inspiring and her power is quite incredible. All our young judo children should watch her confidence and immediacy, the total way she attacks and they should absorb it not just for their judo education but for their ability to face life. Audrey teaches us about life! She didn’t win the final and all credit there must go to Lanir (ISR) who came out with the only attitude she could, pushing all the time and winning with pure determination.
Then there is Krpalek, an absolutely phenomenal competitor, with ne-waza, strategy and stubbornness in spades. Three times European champion, in 2013, 2014 and 2018, plus his double Olympic and world gold across two weights, his return to a world final at 32 years of age 9 years after his first and back in his original -100kg category is nothing short of remarkable. Again, like Tcheumeo, he didn’t take that final step, beaten by a stronger grip and a lot of heart from the younger man.
“The amazing Krpalek came back to -100kg but I wouldn’t have believed he could pass first round there. He really showed his character; a man of mental strength and real judo intelligence to come back to a world final.
Aside from these great names being in action today, across all days so far we have seen the athletes fight less for tactical shied, not searching for penalties for their opponents too much and there has also been very little in the way of passivity, throughout. There have been penalties given for mistakes rather than for choices. We still have golden scores but they are earned and by that I mean that the extra time is deserved for those very active athletes to express themselves, when normal time just isn’t enough to split them and this has been assisted ably by the referees. If in golden score there is still no progression then we have to give a third shido but the majority finish with a positive score. It's not perfect but it is improving.
Today I have liked seeing that we still have de-ashi-harai, classic uchi-mata and osoto-gari techniques being used as well as some of the more unorthodox attacks. We see the submissions as well as holds on the ground, the full range. We haven’t seen so many throwing through the straight arm but there is still head-diving and today we had the third of the championship for Azerbaijan. This is a problem with coaching but also it’s a problem of habit, from childhood, with practising nage-komi with the full rolls. We just continue to avoid these two situations and work for safer judo.”
Be ready the 7th and final day of the individual competition. Follow all the action live on JudoTV.com