JUDO Preview: Three nos. 1 vs 2s in The Hague Grand Prix

The final IJF Grand Prix of the season comes in The Hague (NED), with a huge field of 443 judoka from 66 nations ready for competition in all 16 classes. The top seeds (with their IJF world rankings):

Men:
∙ -60 kg: 1. Francisco Garregos (ESP: 5) 2. Amartuvshin Dashdavaa (MGL: 7)
∙ -66 kg: 1. Vazha Margvelashvili (GEO: 2) 2. Tal Flicker (ISR: 3)
∙ -73 kg: 1. Lasha Shavdatuashvili (GEO: 3) 2. Tommy Macias (SWE: 4)
∙ -81 kg: 1. Saeid Mollaei (IRI: 1) 2. Frank de Wit (NED: 2)
∙ -90 kg: 1. Nikoloz Sherazadishvili (ESP: 1) 2. Aleksandar Kukolj (SRB: 2)
∙ -100 kg: 1. Varlam Liparteliani (GEO: 1) 2. Michael Korrel (NED: 2)
∙ +100 kg: 1. Maciej Sarnacki (POL: 7) 2. Roy Meyer (NED: 11)

Women:
∙ -48 kg: 1. Milica Nikolic (SRB: 6) 2. Eva Csernoviczki (HUN: 8)
∙ -52 kg: 1. Charline van Snick (BEL: 8) 2. Gili Cohen (ISR: 13)
∙ -57 kg: 1. Timna Nelson Levy (ISR: 7) 2. Miryam Roper (PAN: 13)
∙ -63 kg: 1. Juul Franssen (NED: 5) 2. Mungunchimeg Baldorj (MGL: 11)
∙ -70 kg: 1. Maria Portela (BRA: 3) 2. Sanne van Dijke (NED: 5)
∙ -78 kg: 1. Natalie Powell (GBR: 2) 2. Marhinde Verkrk (NED: 5)
∙ +78 kg: 1. Larisa Ceric (BIH: 2) 2. Maryna Slutskaya (BLR: 7)

Note the three potential match-ups of the no. 1 and no. 2 in the men’s -81 kg, -90 kg and -100 kg classes. Two of the second-ranked challengers will have the home crowd with them, in Frank de Wit (-81 kg) and Michael Korrel (-100 kg).

As usual, prize money will be $3,000-2,000-1,000 (x2) for the top three placers, with 20% reserved for the athlete’s coach. Look for results here.