The Last Update of the IJF Ranking Before Chelyabinsk 2014 World Judo Championship
The Brazilian Team will be composed of 12 head-keys in the competition run from August 25th to 31st in Russia. The boarding for acclimatization is on August 13th.
The International Judo Federation announced on Tuesday, August 5th, the latest update of the ranking before Chelyabinsk 2014 World Judo Championship and Brazil kept twelve athletes as head-keys in individual competition. Eighteen athletes were summoned. The delegation will consist of 18 judokas, nine men and nine women. The head-keys are the eight best placed athletes of each category. Like in the Olympics, the athlete who is defeated in a round starting from the quarter-finals has the right to come back in the repechage. Apart from the key positions, the ranking shows who are the athletes to be studied by the Brazilians because they can hinder them reaching the podium.
In the men’s team there will be six head-keys. In the extra-lightweight category, Brazil will have two representatives. Felipe Kitadai is the 6th and Eric Takabatake, the 15th. The three best placed athletes of the ranking are the Japanese Naohisa Takato, the Georgian Amiran Papinashvili and the Mongolian Boldbaatar Ganbat. Charles Chibana (66kg) is still the number one among the half-lightweight male judokas. His main opponents in the World Judo Championship are the Russian Mikhail Pulyaev, the French David Larose and the Mongolian Tumurkhuleg Davaadorj.
"Being head-key is good because it is supposed that you come out in a better key. But that does not always happen, "Charles said.
Alex Pombo climbed some position and now he is the fourth among the lightweight male judokas. Above him are the Slovenian Rok Draksic, the Israeli Sagi Muki, and Victor Scvortov from the UAE. Victor Penalber (81kg) is the third ranked. He is behind Avtandili Tchrikishvili from Georgia and Loic Pietri from France, and closely in front of the German Sven Maresch, who will come for sure to Chelyabinsk to fight for medals.
"In addition to these names well placed in the rankings, there are others such as Nifontov and Nagase. I think that having already fought in a World Judo Championship takes some of the weight of the first time and I also believe that, as I had a little more time to train, I am well prepared. I hope to do a good job, " Victor Penalber said.
Tiago Camilo (90kg) is 10th placed. The four main head-keys of the category are Varlam Liparteliani (GEO), Asley Gonzalez (CUB), Kirill Denisov (RUS) and Ilias Iliadis (GRE). Luciano Correa (100kg) is also tenth placed. The first four placed half-heavyweight judokas are Lukas Krpalekv from the Czech Republic, Elkhan Mammadov from Azerbaijan, Cyrille Maret from France and Elmar Gasimov, from Azerbaijan as well.
"I knew that being head-key in this World Judo Championship will be very difficult because I made only two competitions after one year-break. I want to fight for medals and, therefore, I will face strong opponents right from the beginning. But the most important is being prepared both physically and psychologically, “said Tiago Camilo, world champion in 2007.
Rafael Silva continues leading the heavy category and David Moura is the sixth placed. Their main opponents in the World Judo Championships will be Faicel Jaballah fromTunisia, Adam Okruashvili from Georgia, and the French legend Teddy Riner.
As in the men’s team, the women’s will also have six athletes as head-keys taking part in the tournament. Sarah Menezes (48kg) is one of them, thanks to the second place among the extra-lightweight female judokas. She is placed behind the Mongolian Urantsetseg Munkhbat. Other dangerous adversaries are Taciana Lima, the Brazilian defending the colors of Guinea-Bissau, and the Cuban Celia Maria Laborde.
Erika Miranda (52kg) is also second placed in her category, which is led by Majlinda Kelmendi from Kosovo. Mareen Kraeh from Germany and Yuki Hashimoto from Japan must also fight for medals. Another vice- leader of the world ranking is Rafaela Silva (57kg). The current world champion spent the whole year 2014 switching the first place of her category with the German Miryam Roper. Right behind them are the American Marti Malloy, the French Automne Pavia, the Austrian Sabrina Filzmoser and Ketleyn Quadros.
"I would keep an eye on Kaori Matsumoto, because it will be the first World Judo Championship in which she will fight after the gold medal won in London (she was world champion in 2010). I have studied my opponents every day, watching videos and analyzing their fights. The goal cannot be different: I hope to repeat the performance from 2013, “Rafaela said.
In the half-middleweight and middleweight categories, the Brazilians will have a little more to work before reaching the podium. Mariana Silva (63kg) is the 21st placed in the ranking. Among the main names of the category are Clarisse Agbegnenou (FRA), Yarden Gerbi (ISR), Anicka Van Emden (NED) and Unterwurzacher Kathrin (AUT). Barbara Timo (70kg) is in the 20th position. Kim Polling (NED), Laura Vargas Koch (GER), Kelita Zupancic (CAN) and Yuri Alvear (COL) are the favorites for the gold in the World Judo Championships.
"I have already experience regarding the World Judo Championship by having participated last year in the Teams World and this was very important. I'm training hard, trying to do everything I can do physically, technically, tactically, nutritionally and psychologically speaking. So, I know I'm ready to get my best performance, “Barbara Timo said.
Mayra Aguiar (78kg), even after being away from many competitions in order to recover from two surgeries, stays on the 4th at the moment. The Brazilian’s first three ranked and main opponents are Marhinde Verkerk (NED), Audrey Tcheumeo (FRA) and Anamari Velensek (SLO). Finally, the heavyweight judoka, Maria Suelen Altheman (78kg +), is the second placed. The Cuban Idalys Ortiz, current world and Olympic champion, and the Japaneses Megumi Tachimoto and Kanae Yamabe are among the favorites for the title. Rochele Nunes is the 18th in the category.
"I would seriously consider Abigel Joo, the Hungarian world champion of last year, and the American Kayla Harrison as potential medalists. I'm a little less in the fighting rhythm that my main opponents but I will make it up with my physical and my head, "said Mayra Aguiar, bronze medalist in London 2012 and Rio 2013 World Judo Championship.
The Brazilian delegation goes to France on June 13th for acclimatization before the World Judo Championship and gets to Russia on August 22nd.
