"I feel very honoured, first of all, because I can represent my country and compete in my hometown," Li shared, expressing his immense joy at returning to Qingdao for such an important event. With friends living nearby expected to fill the stands and cheer him on, the occasion carries special emotional weight. However, this competition also coincides with a major personal moment in his life. Li revealed that his family will not be present, as his wife has just given birth, marking a new chapter off the tatami as well.
Despite these personal developments, Li’s focus on his national duty remains unwavering. Currently ranked 33rd in the world and standing as the highest-ranked Chinese athlete in the +100kg category, Li carries the responsibility of leading his division on home ground, especially after last year’s bronze-medal-winning showing. For him, wearing the national colours represents far more than individual ambition. "This national flag represents my country," he explained, emphasising that in everything he does, "everything must put the country first." With this mindset, Li is determined to rise to the occasion and "show my strongest side" in front of his home supporters.
Looking ahead to the competition, Li is realistic about the challenges but confident in his progress. Reflecting on a familiar rival, he noted, "I feel the gap between us in the category is slowly shrinking," highlighting his steady development since their last encounter. Although his experience at this level is still relatively recent, having only begun competing in Qingdao last year, his ambitions are clear and firmly set on the future. "The Olympic Games are my ultimate goal and I want to achieve excellent results there," he said. In the short term, his priority is to accumulate valuable Olympic qualification points and continue climbing the world ranking list.
Beyond the competition itself, Li is eager to showcase Qingdao to the international judo community. Acting as a proud ambassador for his hometown, he described the city as a modern destination with "exceptionally beautiful scenery" and "delicious food." He welcomed athletes, officials and fans from around the world, expressing hope that they would enjoy both the event and the city’s unique atmosphere.
Li also expressed heartfelt gratitude to those supporting him from near and far. "Seeing everyone come to Qingdao to support me makes me feel full of strength," he said, underlining the importance of that connection as he steps onto the tatami.
Judo fans worldwide will be able to follow Li Haiyang and all the action from the IJF World Tour Qingdao Grand Prix live on JudoTV.com, as the road to Olympic qualification continues.