One of the great shrines in judo is the Nippon Budokan, built to initially host the first-ever Olympic competition in the sport in 1964. It will again be the site for the sport in 2020, as well as for karate, but this week will host 860 judoka from 49 countries.
But there is no doubt that the host Japanese are out to make a statement. The country has led the medal count in every World Championships since men and women have been competing together back in 1987; that’s 19 in a row. The last time the IJF Worlds were held in Tokyo was in 2010 and the hosts won 23 medals (10-4-9) out of the 64 awarded; no other country has more than six (France: 2-1-3).
What about 2019? In terms of seeding, the top-ranked judoka are in every category, and looking at the top five seeds, the leaders are:
● Men: Japan, 6; Georgia, 5; Azerbaijan, 3.
● Women: Japan, 8; Brazil, 4; France, 3.
It’s important to note that this World Championships is not a direct qualifier to the 2020 Olympic Games. Invitations to the Games will be based on the IJF World Rankings next April, so stars like France’s Teddy Riner (10 World titles, two Olympic golds) do not need to participate now to be eligible for Tokyo 2020. The top seeds:
Men
● -60 kg:
1. Robert Mshvidobadze (RUS) ~ 2018 Worlds silver medalist
2. Naohisa Takato (JPN) ~ 2013-17-18 World Champion; 2016 Olympic bronze
3. Amiran Papinashvili (GEO) ~ 2018 Worlds bronze medalist
4. Ryuju Nagayama (JPN) ~ 2018 Worlds bronze medalist
5. Yeldos Smetov (KAZ) ~ 2016 Olympic silver medalist
● -66 kg:
1. Vazha Margvelashvili (GEO)
2. Joshiro Maruyama (JPN)
3. Hifumi Abe (JPN) ~ 2017-18 World Champion
4. Baruch Shmailov (ISR)
5. Denis Vieru (MDA)
● -73 kg:
1. Rustam Orujov (AZE) ~ 2017 Worlds silver medalist
2. Lasha Shavdatuashvili (GEO) ~ 2016 Olympic bronze
3. Tommy Macias (SWE)
4. Hidayat Heydarov (AZE) ~ 2018 Worlds bronze medalist
5. Akil Gjakova (KOS)
● -81 kg:
1. Saeid Mollaei (IRI) ~ 2018 World Champion; 2017 Worlds bronze
2. Sagi Muki (JPN)
3. Frank de Wit (NED)
4. Matthias Casse (BEL)
5. Dominic Ressel (GER)
● -90 kg:
1. Nikoloz Sherazadishvili (ESP) ~ 2018 World Champion
2. Krisztian Toth (HUN)
3. Ivan Felipe Silva (CUB) ~ 2018 Worlds silver medalist
4. Mammadali Mehdiyev (AZE)
5. Nemanja Majdov (SRB) ~ 2017 World Champion
● –100 kg:
1. Varlam Liparteliani (GEO) ~ 2017-18 Worlds silver medalist; 2016 Olympic -90 kg silver
2. Guman Cho (KOR) ~ 2018 World Champion
3. Peter Paltchik (ISR)
4. Michael Korrel (NED)
5. Otgonbaatar Lkhagvasuren (MGL) ~ 2018 Worlds bronze medalist
● +100 kg:
1. Guram Tushishvili (GEO) ~ 2018 World Champion
2. Lukas Krpalek (CZE) ~ 2016 Olympic -100 kg Champion
3. David Moura (BRA) ~ 2017 Worlds silver medalist
4. Hisayoshi Harasawa (JPN) ~ 2018 Worlds bronze medalist; 2016 Olympic silver
5. Rafael Silva (BRA) ~ 2017 Worlds bronze medalist; 2016 Olympic bronze
Women
● -48 kg:
1. Funa Tonaki (JPN) ~ 2017 World Champion; 2018 Worlds silver medalist
2. Daria Bilodid (UKR) ~ 2018 World Champion
3. Urantsetseg Munkhbat (MGL) ~ 2017 Worlds silver medalist
4. Paula Pareto (ARG) ~ 2016 Olympic Champion; 2018 Worlds bronze
5. Distria Kransiqi (KOS)
● -52 kg:
1. Amandine Buchard (FRA) ~ 2018 Worlds bronze medalist
2. Uta Abe (JPN) ~ 2018 World Champion
3. Ai Shishime (JPN) ~ 2017 World Champion; 2018 Worlds silver medalist
4. Charline van Snick (BEL)
5. Natalia Kuziutina (RUS)
● -57 kg:
1. Tsukasa Yoshida (JPN) ~ 2018 World Champion; 2017 Worlds silver medalist
2. Christa Deguchi (CAN) ~ 2018 Worlds bronze medalist
3. Nora Gjakova (KOS)
4. Rafaela Silva (BRA) ~ 2016 Olympic Champion
5. Jessica Klimkait (CAN)
● -63 kg:
1. Clarisse Agbegnenou (FRA) ~ 2017-18 World Champion; 2016 Olympic silver
2. Tina Trstenjak (SLO) ~ 2017-18 Worlds bronze medalist; 2016 Olympic gold
3. Miku Tashiro (JPN) ~ 2018 Worlds silver medalist
4. Juul Franssen (NED) ~ 2018 Worlds bronze medalist
5. Martyna Trajdos (GER)
● -70 kg:
1. Chizuru Arai (JPN) ~ 2017-18 World Champion
2. Marie Eve Gahie (FRA) ~ 2018 Worlds silver medalist
3. Anna Bernholm (SWE)
4. Michaela Polleres (AUT)
5. Maria Portela (BRA)
● -78 kg:
1. Mayra Aguiar (BRA) ~ 2017 World Champion; 2016 Olympic bronze
2. Guusje Steenhuis (NED) ~ 2018 Worlds silver medalist
3. Shori Hamada (JPN) ~ 2018 World Champion
4. Madeleine Malonga (FRA)
5. Natalie Powell (GBR) ~ 2017 Worlds silver medalist
● +78 kg:
1. Idalys Ortiz (CUB) ~ 2018 Worlds silver medalist; 2016 Olympic silver
2. Sarah Asahina (JPN) ~ 2018 World Champion; 2017 Worlds silver medalist
3. Larisa Ceric (BIH) ~ 2018 Worlds bronze medalist
4. Maria Suelen Altheman (BRA)
5. Iryna Kindzerska (AZE) ~ 2017 Worlds bronze medalist
Prize money for the IJF Worlds is $26,000-15,000-8,000 for the top three places, with 20% reserved for the coaches. Look for results here.
