If the majority of judoka have already tasted the international senior scene, 308 out of the 541 here in Portugal, for a large number of them, these world championships will be a first. For Mohamed Meridja, IJF Coaching and Education Director, the event is more than important, "We are really here on the last step before the senior category. On the eve of the Paris Olympic Games and with those of Los Angeles already looming ahead on the horizon, we are witnessing the emergence of future national teams.
The day after the Paris 2024 Games, a significant proportion of senior athletes will retire. There will be places to take. This is what we came to observe here in Portugal.
As all these competitors are still young, we are very attentive to their overall behaviour as well as that of their coaches and we ensure that our values remain at the centre of the practice."
For Vladimir Barta, IJF Head Sport Director, this world championship is also a great moment in the young careers of the participants, “In the journey of a high-level judoka, everything begins here. For some of them, this has already begun in cadets, but we can say that the junior category is really the last stop before the very high level, the one that can be described as professional.
National federations are already preparing the next generation. This is where it happens. It is very interesting to see judoka in full construction. This is happening before our eyes and it is a great pleasure to see these young athletes develop.
The juniors is a crucial age category, as I said between the cadets and the seniors. There are not as many tactics as among their elders, but already more than among the cadets. This transition is not only necessary, it is crucial. Examples of juniors who are already performing at senior level are numerous, yet they still have a lot to learn. Once again, being a spectator of this transformation provides a lot of pleasure.
We must also underline that the points that are distributed here in Portugal count for the Paris 2024 Olympic qualification. So this competition is really a springboard to the top level."
The five days which begin today in Odivelas will highlight the best juniors of the moment. Stay tuned, because many of them will become tomorrow's best seniors.