We certainly enjoyed the footwork of Audrey Tcheumeo (FRA), linking techniques together to unbalance her opponents. We have enjoyed the magnitude of the throws, the power and the decisiveness of the winners in each round.
We have loved the relentlessness of Michal Jedrzejewski (POL), attacking whether in the lead or chasing a score, hunting for the big finish in every second of every contest.
We have loved the crowd getting behind their new athletes; the Chinese team is growing, especially among the men’s categories. Throughout the week there has been a spotlight on future potential for the hosts but on day 3 this has been magnified. Watch out for Haiyang Li (+100 kg) or Hebilige Bu (-90 kg) in the coming years. They are big throwers and have loved exploring their own ability in front of their spectators.
We have been impressed by a reinvigorated Yelyzaveta Lytvynenko (UAE), powering through the rounds with great judo, great presence and supreme commitment to her work.
The final block looms and is populated by both the big names of the day and a selection of newcomers who have found a new gear and now know they can compete among the best in the world. Tune in to JudoTV from 5pm local time to see howe the final session in China unfolds.