-73 kg: Makhmadbekov and Lavrentev in Focus Three quarters of the medallists at -73kg from Astana last year are back in action looking for more silverware. The winner in 2023 was Makhmadbek Makhmadbekov (AIN) who has since won bronze medals in Baku, Abu Dhabi and Portugal and is seeded second. Rising star and third seed Danil Lavrentev (AIN) has almost caught up with Makhmadbekov in the Olympic rankings with three major medals in a row and the two could potentially face off in a mouth-watering semi-final.
The silver medal in 2023 was won by Adam Stodolski (POL), who hasn’t managed to stand on a WJT podium since then and currently lies outside the Olympic qualification positions; he will be looking to rectify that from his position as eighth seed. Daniyar Shamshayev (KAZ) took a bronze medal at his home grand slam last year and will be keen to repeat or better that performance this time.
2022 world champion Tsogtbaatar Tsend-Ochir (MGL) is seeded seventh and makes his first World Judo Tour appearance since his first-round defeat at the Hungary Masters 2023. He currently occupies the last direct Olympic qualification spot and with teammate Erdenebayar Batzaya only a few places behind him in the rankings, he will need a good result to maintain his lead. Top seed and 2023 world silver medallist Manuel Lombardo (ITA) will be hoping to move into a seeded position in the Olympic rankings with a good performance in Astana.
Beyond the seeded judoka, there could be some surprises from Paris Grand Slam 2024 silver medallist Giorgi Chikhelidze (GEO) or the Kazakh duo of Darkhan Koibagar and Bakhitzhan Abdurakhmanov. The former earned an excellent bronze medal in Dushanbe last week, while the latter also won bronze at the Zagreb Grand Prix 2023.
-63 kg: Too Close for Comfort in the Olympic Rankings Of the eight seeded players at -63kg, only the first and fifth seeds, Andrea Leski (SLO) and Maylin Del Toro Carvajal (CUB), occupy direct Olympic qualification places, while a further four find themselves in precarious continental quota positions, so the final standings at this event are guaranteed to have major ramifications for the Olympic ranking list. The odd ones out are second seed Katarina Kristo (CRO), despite her picking up two World Judo Tour medals so far this year, and eighth seed Geke Van Den Berg (NED), who is without a major medal since her silver at the Baku Grand Slam 2022.
The category is wide open, so who will occupy the podium positions is anybody’s guess. The overwhelming favourite for the gold medal will be world number 11 Leski. Iva Oberan (CRO) will be keen to continue her winning form after taking bronze in Dushanbe last week. Cristina Cabana Perez (ESP) narrowly missed out on a medal here last year and in Tajikistan last week, so will have extra motivation.
Daria Liluashvili’s (AIN) fast ascent up the rankings continued with a silver medal in Dushanbe and she could move into an Olympic qualifying position if she reaches the final again in Astana; she placed fifth here last year. 5-time grand slam medallist Anriquelis Barrios is another judoka in a continental quota position, one who will be looking to win her first WJT medal in nearly two years to cement that position. Japan’s Minami Aono also can’t be ruled out as she took an impressive bronze medal at the Upper Austria Grand Prix in March, in what was her first outing on the WJT.
-81 kg: Zhubanazar in Pole Position at Home Like the Dushanbe Grand Slam a week ago, none of the top eight finishers at -81kg from the 2023 edition of this event are entered this year, so a fresh set of faces will grace the podium at the Zhekpe-Zhek Palace. After his bronze medal in Dushanbe, Abylaikhan Zhubanazar is the top seed and will be hoping to continue his good form, delight his home crowd and move closer to a seeded position in the Olympic rankings. Just behind him as the second seed and also looking to do the latter, is 2019 world champion Sagi Muki (ISR) who recently took bronze at the Tbilisi Grand Slam.
Fourth seed Joao Fernando (POR) won two of his three WJT medals this year, so will be confident of picking up a fourth in Astana but he faces a tough first contest against 2016 Olympic champion Khasan Khalmurzaev (AIN). The only seeded athlete not currently in an Olympic qualifying position is the eighth seed Mikhailo Svidrak (UKR), and although that could change with a medal here, he will have to get past 2018 world silver medallist and 4-time grand slam winner Sotara Fujiwara (JPN) in round 2 to achieve that goal.
Numerous other unseeded athletes will pose a threat to the dominance of the seeds, particularly those who, like Svidrak, are just outside the qualification positions, including Medickson Del Orbe Cotorreal (DOM), Dominic Ressel (GER) and Aurelien Bonferroni (SUI). Equally, a podium finish for 10-time grand slam medallist Alan Khubetsov (AIN) is never out of the question.
-70 kg: All or Nothing for Cvjetko Six of the top eight finishers at -70 kg in Dushanbe last week return hoping for a second grand slam placing in a row but the stakes are highest for the top seed and silver medallist from last week, Lara Cvjetko (CRO). Despite that medal, the 2022 world silver medallist still trails her friend and teammate Barbara Matic in the Olympic rankings by 1800 points. With 1000 points on offer at a grand slam and both athletes due to participate in the upcoming Abu Dhabi World Championships, Cvjetko must win here to give herself the best chance of catching Matic at the Worlds.
With their bronze medal and fifth place finishes in Tajikistan, the British pair of Kelly Petersen Pollard and Katie-Jemima Yeats-Brown moved into Olympic qualifying positions together but only one can go to Paris. The former leads the latter by just 200 points, so nothing is decided yet. Fifth seed Petersen Pollard will have to get past double grand prix medallist Irene Pedrotti (ITA) in round 1 and faces a potential quarter-final against 4-time grand slam bronze medallist Gulnoza Matniyazova (UZB). Meanwhile, seventh seed Yeats-Brown has the prospect of a quarter final with Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist and second seed Madina Taimazova (AIN).
Kim Polling (ITA) makes her first WJT appearance representing Italy and is seeded sixth. Maya Goshen (ISR) rounds out the seeded players and although all of the top eight are currently in direct Olympic qualification positions, there are several athletes who could take some of those places for themselves with a medal here, including Ida Eriksson (SWE), Fidan Ogel (TUR) and Luana Carvalho (BRA).
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