-63 kg: A Chance for Oberan to Respond
World number five Iva Oberan (CRO) heads the draw as the top seed. Despite winning bronze at both the Tbilisi Grand Slam and the European Championships in April, the Croatian endured a disappointing outing in Ulaanbaatar, finishing outside the medals. Qingdao presents the perfect opportunity to show that last week's result was nothing more than a temporary setback.
She will face fierce opposition in a particularly competitive category. Lubjana Piovesana (AUT), who claimed bronze in both Dushanbe and Ulaanbaatar, stands out as another leading contender. Olympic bronze medallist and two-time world medallist Laura Fazliu (KOS) remains one of the most consistent performers on the circuit, while Angelika Szymanska (POL), already the owner of eight grand slam and two grand prix medals, has more than enough experience to challenge for gold.
-73 kg: Can Makhmadbekov Bounce Back?
Makhmadbek Makhmadbekov (UAE) began the season in style by winning the Paris Grand Slam in February, but his campaign stalled in Mongolia, where the world number two suffered an early defeat and finished unplaced. Qingdao offers the perfect opportunity for redemption and a return to the podium.
Jack Yonezuka (USA) arrives with plenty of confidence after reaching his first grand slam final in Ulaanbaatar. Already a two-time grand prix medallist, the American judoka demonstrated excellent form throughout last weekend's tournament and will be hoping to continue that momentum. Shakhram Ahadov (UZB) and Rashid Mammadaliyev (AZE) also have the credentials to challenge deep into the competition.
-70 kg: Coughlan Chasing Another Gold
Aoife Coughlan (AUS) has built a reputation as one of the toughest athletes to overcome in the category. Following her silver medal in Ulaanbaatar, she arrives in Qingdao determined to climb one step higher. Already a grand prix gold medallist in Austria last year and in Portugal in 2023, she now has the opportunity to claim a third World Judo Tour title.
Lara Cvjetko (CRO), a bronze medallist in Mongolia and twice a world silver medallist, once again looks capable of reaching the podium. However, all eyes will also be on Switzerland's April Lynn Fohouo, the 2025 junior world champion. Young, powerful and fearless, she possesses the attributes necessary to trouble the established names and continues her preparation for the Lausanne Grand Slam, where she will compete in front of her home supporters. Before that, the Qingdao Grand Prix offers another valuable opportunity to collect World Ranking List points.
Germany's Miriam Butkereit will also be eager to make amends after narrowly missing out on bronze in Ulaanbaatar and will be determined to impose her style from the opening contest.
-81 kg: A Fascinating New Challenge for Heydarov
Few categories promise as many intriguing storylines as the men's -81 kg. Canada's François Gauthier-Drapeau came agonisingly close to the podium in Ulaanbaatar and will be looking to go one better in Qingdao. His task could hardly be more demanding. Should the draw unfold as expected, he may meet Olympic champion Hidayat Heydarov (AZE) as early as the round of sixteen, with the Azerbaijani making his highly anticipated debut in the higher weight category. Should Gauthier-Drapeau progress, another formidable challenge could await in the form of Japan's Sotaro Fujiwara.
The bottom half of the draw is equally compelling. Zelim Tckaev (AZE) finds himself in the same section as world champion and Olympic medallist Mathias Casse (BEL), setting up the possibility of an encounter before the final stages. Finland's Eetu Ihanamaki should not be overlooked either. Like several of his teammates, he continues to make steady progress and is establishing himself in one of the deepest categories on the World Judo Tour.
As always, the leading seeds provide an indication of the likely contenders, but judo rarely follows the script. By the end of day two, Qingdao will almost certainly have produced new stories, fresh surprises and perhaps a few new names to watch as the road to Los Angeles continues. Follow all the action on JudoTV.com