The Competition: Favourites and Ones to Watch in Rio

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With the 2016 Rio Olympics on the horizon, we took a look at some of the strong opponents our British judoka could face in Brazil.

Nekoda Davis, Ashley McKenzie, Alice Schlesinger, Colin Oates, Sally Conway, Natalie Powell and Ben Fletcher will all be representing Great Britain in Rio next month.
The judo event will begin on Saturday 6th August at 2pm GMT when the -60kgs and -48kgs step onto the mat.

Day 1

-60kgs

 Day 2

-66kgs

Favourite

 Favourite

Takato

Naohisa Takato – Japan

  • 2013 World Champion
  • Double Masters Champion
  • 6 time Grand Slam Champion
  • Great range of attacking judo
 Ebinuma

Masashi Ebinuma – Japan

  • Triple World Champion
  • Olympic Bronze in London 2012
  • Very strong uchimata and seoinage attacks

 

 One to Watch

  One to Watch
Khyar

Walide Khyar – France

  • Current Junior and Senior European Champion
  • Very explosive attacker
 Zantaraia

Georgi Zantaraia – Ukraine

  • 2015 Masters Champion
  • 2009 World Champion
  • 5 time World medallist
  • Powerful attacks
  • Unbelievable escapes

Day 3

-57kgs

Day 4

-63kgs

Favourite

Favourite

Matsumoto

Kaori Matsumoto – Japan

  • Current World and Olympic Champion
  • Double Masters Champion
  • Ruthless Newaza

Trstenjak

Tina Trstenjak – Slovenia

  • Current World & European Champion and No.1 Seed
  • Most points in qualification (3800)
  • Wins in newaza more than by any other method

 

One to Watch

One to Watch

Silva

Rafaela Silva – Brazil

  • 2013 World Champion (Rio)
  • 2 time PanAmerican Champion
  • Flying juji-gatame attacks
  • Home crowd advantage

Agbegnenou

Clarisse Agbegnenou – France

  • 2014 World Champion
  • 100% win record in 2014 & 2016
  • Explosive left handed hip throws

 Day 5

-70kgs

 Day 6

-78kgs

Favourite

Favourite

Emane

Gevrise Emane – France

  • Current World and European Champion
  • 3 time World Champion
  • Powerful Seoinage attacks

Harrison

Kayla Harrison – U.S.A

  • Current Olympic Champion
  • 2010 World Champion
  • Big hip throws and strong in Newaza

 

One to Watch

One to Watch

Tachimoto

Haruka Tachimoto – Japan

  • 4 time Grand Slam Champion
  • Medalled in every event she fought in qualifying
  • Very effective Ouchi-Gari and Uchimata attacks

Tcheumeo

Audrey Tcheumeo – France

  • Current European Champion
  • 2011 World Champion
  • Big, strong and can throw

Day 6

-100kgs

Favourite
 Haga

Ryunosuke Haga – Japan

  • Current World Champion
  • Beautiful left uchimata

 

One to Watch

Gviniashvili

Beka Gviniashvili – Georgia

  • Current Junior World Champion
  • Qualified at both -90kg and -100kg
  • Very explosive throws