The inaugural judo events at the Paris Olympic 2024 Games are scheduled for Saturday, July 27th, with the spotlight on the lightweight categories.
The women's U48kg division is particularly noteworthy as competitors vie to replace the reigning champion, Distria Krasniqi. Leading the pack is Italy's Assunta Scutto, who has made a notable return to form by advancing to the finals at the World Championships after a hiatus. Scutto's resilience makes her a prime candidate for the gold medal.
In the race for supremacy, Scutto faces stiff competition from Asia's elite judokas: Mongolia's Bavuudorj Baasankhuu, Abiba Abuzhakynova from Kazakhstan, and Japan's Tsunoda Natsumi. These athletes are poised to challenge their European counterparts for dominance.
France's Shirine Boukli, a crowd favorite and European champion from Montpellier 2023, alongside her victory at this year’s Paris Grand Slam, is also a top contender.
Other notable competitors include Serbia's Milica Nikolic, who has thrived amid intense national competition, and Portugal's Catarina Costa, known for her rivalry with Boukli in significant finals.
Spain’s Laura Martinez Abelenda, although facing a tougher path by rankings, showcases the unpredictable nature of judo, demonstrating that surprises are always possible. Tugce Beder of Turkey and Sweden's Tara Babulfath, both with impressive pre-Games performances, are also expected to make an impact.
Turning to the men's U60kg category, all eyes are on Japan’s Nagayama Ryuju following Naohisa Takato's gold in Tokyo. With Japan's storied history in judo, expectations are high for Nagayama. Key challengers include Azerbaijan's Balabay Aghayev, Turkey's Salih Yildiz, and Ukraine’s Dilshot Khalmatov.
Spain's Francisco Garrigos, the reigning World Champion and a three-time European Champion, stands out as a frontrunner in this category. He contends with tough opponents like Taiwan's Yang Yung Wei, the Tokyo Olympics silver medalist, and Georgia’s current World Champion, Giorgi Sardalashvili, who enters with great promise.
France's hopes are pinned on Luka Mkheidze, the Tokyo bronze medalist, as he competes at the Champ-de-Mars Arena with the iconic Eiffel Tower in the backdrop. This setting heralds a thrilling commencement to the judo competitions in Paris, promising unpredictability and high-level sporting drama.