A massive field of 449 judoka from 57 countries is gathering in Baku (AZE) for the last of the IJF’s Grand Slams prior to the 2019 World Championships in August. The fields are quite good, including fighters ranked no. 1 in the IJF’s World Rankings; the top seeds (with IJF World Rankings):
Men
● -60 kg:
1. Amartusvshin Dashdavaa (MGL: 6)
2. Francisco Garrigos (ESP: 8)
3. Tornike Tsjakadoea (NED: 14)
● -66 kg:
1. Baruch Shmailov (ISR: 4)
2. Tal Flicker (ISR: 5)
3. Daniel Cargnin (BRA: 7)
● -73 kg:
1. Rustam Orujov (AZE: 4)
2. Tommy Macias (SWE: 5)
3. Akil Gjakova (KOS: 7)
● -81 kg:
1. Frank de Wit (NED: 1)
2. Sagi Muki (ISR: 3)
3. Matthias Casse (BEL: 6)
● -90 kg:
1. Nikoloz Sherazadishvili (ESP: 1)
2. Krisztian Toth (HUN: 2)
3. Mammadali Mehdiyev (AZE: 5)
● -100 kg:
1. Peter Paltchik (ISR: 3)
2. Michael Korrel (NED: 4)
3. Otgonbaatar Lkhagvasuren (MGL: 5)
● +100 kg:
1. Roy Meyer (NED: 10)
2. Maciej Sarnacki (POL: 17)
3. Yakiv Khammo (UKR: 19)
Women
● -48 kg:
1. Ami Kondo (JPN: 5)
2. Milica Nikolic (SRB: 9)
3. Marusa Stangar (SLO: 10)
● -52 kg:
1. Amandine Buchard (FRA: 1)
2. Ai Shishime (JPN): 5)
3. Gili Cohen (ISR: 6)
● -57 kg:
1. Tsukasa Yoshida (JPN: 1)
2. Sumiya Dorjsuren (MGL: 4)
3. Rafaela Silva (BRA: 7)
● -63 kg:
1. Tina Trstenjak (SLO: 2)
2. Miku Tashiro (JPN: 3)
3. Andreja Leski (SLO; 5)
● -70 kg:
1. Mahie Eve Gahie (FRA: 1)
2. Chizuru Arai (JPN: 2)
3. Michaela Polleres (AUT: 7)
● -78 kg:
1. Mayra Aguiar (BRA: 1)
2. Guusje Steenhuis (NED: 2)
3. Natalie Powell (GBR: 3)
● +78 kg:
1. Maria Suelen Altheman (BRA: 3)
2. Iryna Kindzerska (AZE: 4)
3. Larisa Ceric (BIH: 5)
The most tantalizing match-up might be in the women’s -70 kg, where no. 1-ranked Gahie of France could face reigning World Champion Arai.
Prize money for Grand Slams is $5,000-3,000-1,500 for the top three placers (with 20% reserved for coaches!). Look for results here.
