One - the -90 kg top quarter
The current senior world champion and last year’s junior world champion are set to meet in the first quarter-final of the -90 kg category. Sanshiro Murao, the firm favourite and number one seed, is likely to meet 20 year old Komei Kawabata in the round of 8. The youngster may look out-classed but he’s a physical and determined fighter and is not easy to throw. He already has grand slam medals and knows how to win on the big stages, proven by his two junior world titles.
Murao is the reigning Tokyo Grand Slam champion and has won his last 3 events so it looks like a done deal, but only on paper. Tokyo always throws up some impressively unforgiving youngsters to push the incumbents to their limits.
Two - Kanikovskiy Has a Target on His Back
Twenty-four year old Matvey Kanikovskiy (RUS) is the current world champion and sits at the top of the -100 kg draw. He has reached the final of all 8 of his previous grand slam appearances, winning 5 of them. He’s won the last two editions in Tokyo and wants to make it a hat trick but on Japanese soil, there is always someone waiting to snatch the crown, perhaps even someone with little reference on the World Judo Tour.
The fun will be found watching Kanikovskiy protect his fort, hold seeding and see off all challenges. If he’s on form, they could fall like dominoes!
Three - Haruka Kaju’s Dominance
She has appeared at just 5 international events in her career, all of them in the last 12 months. At 25 years old, that’s not a huge amount of experience but taking a second look at Kaju’s results list yields an incredible statistic: she is yet to lose a contest. Kaju has won Tokyo, Paris, the continental title and also world gold. She’s clinical, professional, respectful and balanced and also seems to enjoy every minute on the tatami.
There are serious contenders below her in the draw, well known names all synonymous with success, but in Tokyo, it’s Haruka Kaju with her name half written on the gold already. From the Paris Olympic Games final block, Piovesana, to double world finalist Beauchemin-Pinard, there’s potential for Kaju to lose her grip on the winning streak, but is it likely?
The Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium will be packed to the rafters as the first contests step on to the mats at 10am on 6th December. Who will you be watching? Stay up to date on the JudoTV app throughout the competition.