The Peninsula
Qatar is ready to host more than 660 of the globe’s best judokas from 99 countries at the IJF World Judo Championships – Doha 2023 that kicks off today at Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiyah Arena, today.
There will be 15 world titles up for grabs, including 7 individual categories for men and women, and a team event during the eight-day Championships, which is offering a staggering €1m in prize money. Doha 2023 will also offer qualification for the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
IJF Director General Vlad Marinescu yesterday praised Qatar for the excellent preparations, adding its an honour to work with the Local Organising Committee (LOC), led by the Qatar Olympic Committee President H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani.
“The hospitality is great. It’s a big honour and pleasure for the International Judo Federation to be in this beautiful city for these World Championships,” Marinescu told the members of the press, on the eve of the high profile event.
“We have here, the world number ones, twos, threes. All the best athletes that are competing, people defending their world titles, people trying to take their world titles back, people trying to make a name for themselves as we lead on to the Paris Olympic Games coming next year,” the Director General said.
Media and Broadcasting Committee Chairman H E Sheikh Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al Thani noted that all measures have been taken to run the event according to the highest standards, and the best environment will be provided to the members of the media.
Among the possible headline makers at the eight-day event are French stars Teddy Riner, who will be aiming for his 11th world title.
During an interview with the International Olympic Committee ahead of his trip to Doha, Riner, a double Olympic champion, said he is motivated like never before.
“I am motivated like never before. These World Championships will allow me to challenge the competition, to position myself relative to this competition,” the 34-year-old said.
After missing last year’s event due to an ankle injury, the 6’ 8” tall Riner is making his way back to the World Championships after six years of absence and is hoping to continue his dominant streak.
Apart from the French giant, other notable champions who will be looking to defend their men’s titles in the respective weight classes include, Naohisa Takato (Japan/-60kg), Hifumi Abe (Japan/-66kg), Soichi Hashimoto (Japan/-73kg), Tato Grigalashvili (Georgia/-81kg) and Davlat Bobonov (Uzbekistan/-90 kg). In the women’s side, Frenchwoman Clarisse Agbegnenou, a five-time world champion who is returning to the Worlds after becoming a mother last summer, will compete in the -63kg class, while Natsumi Tsunoda (Japan/-48kg), Uta Abe (Japan/-52 kg), Rafaela Silva (Brazil/-57kg), Horikawa Megumi (Japan/-63kg), Barbara Matic (Croatia/-70kg) and Romane Dicko (France/+78kg) will be aiming to defend their titles.
There will be four Qatari judokas in action, namely Khalil Al Rabahi and Mohammed Al Rabahi (-81kg), Rida Nafwa (-100kg), and Saleha Al Badi (-57kg).
At the 2022 World Judo Championships held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Japan emerged as the dominant force with five world titles, followed by Brazil and the host nation Uzbekistan, each with two titles.