Enjoying the enthusiasm, passion and wild skill of the Georgian team is something the world of judo looks forward to at every event but in Tbilisi it’s just different. The home supporters, the will to win, the volume in the arena, the magnetic honour of winning in Tbilisi all combine to increase the heat at this grand slam.
Georgia has top 8 seeding at -60 kg, -66 kg, -73 kg, -90 kg, +100 kg and -57 kg, has two Olympic champions from a total of 4 Olympic finalists competing. Their men, of course, but increasingly their women, are looking for the irreplaceable feeling of thrilling their home crowd and that will make them dangerous opponents.
Two: The openness of the -81 kg category.
Whomever wants it most, might just get it! The top seed is world number 6 Francois Gauthier Drapeau (CAN) and despite there being a string of elite athletes following closely behind him, the absences of Casse (BEL), Lee (KOR), Schimidt (BRA) and Tckaev (AZE) will certainly be felt. The biggest name of all to be missing-in-action is Georgia’s own Tato Grigalashvili, 2nd in the world rankings, world champion and serial entertainer. There’s also no Nagase (JPN) and no Mollaei (AZE), the gold and silver medallists from Tokyo 2020.
So, it’s an open audition! Makhmadbekov (TJK), Muki (ISR), Svidrak (UKR), all are capable of reaping the big points in Tbilisi but the winner, in the end, might simply be the one with the biggest heart on the day.
Three: The jostling for Olympic seeding among the women.
Four of the 7 women’s categories have been entered by 5 from their respective world top ten list. At -57 kg, -63 kg, -70 kg and +78 kg there is a clear push for Olympic seeding.
Eteri Liparteliani (GEO) is 9th in the world and also 9th on the clean list for the Games. We understand that in real life she is 8th as one of the Canadian’s above will not compete in the French capital, but a win at home, with the crowd pushing her through the borderline moments, could make all the difference, effectively changing her draw and her overall day in Paris. There is no better opportunity for her to cement her seeding at the Games and show her opposition how she can fight when she’s really at her best.
At -63 kg Leski (SLO) is in a similar position: 9th and 9th and in the respective lists. Aoife Coughlan is at 10th and 10th and is aiming to use Georgia to put the Australian flag into a seeded place in her category, -70 kg, to join Haecker (-63 kg) who currently sits at 5th in the world. To have two Australian women seeded at an Olympic judo event would be the making of history, a real first. It could happen if Tbilisi goes well for Coughlan.
The draw takes place at 2pm tomorrow, local time. It’s sure to throw up some tantalising early rounds and fascinating statistics. Keep up with all the progress in Georgia on JudoTV.com.