Who are the judo favourites for the Paralympic Games in Rio

At the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro there are a few judo favourites to check out in advance. We portrait six judokas to look out for ahead of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

Bayram Mustafayev (AZE)

Azerbaijan’s 29-year-old (-66kg) is ready for a major leap forward in Paralympic gold at Rio 2016, after winning the IBSA 2014 World Championships in Colorado Springs, USA. In 2015, Mustafayev showed great form once again to claim his third successive European title in Odivelas, Portugal.

Lucia Araujo (BRA)

London 2012 silver medallist (-57kg) is one of Brazil´s main judo medal hopes for Rio 2016. Last year, Araujo took gold at Toronto Parapan American Games. However, the 34-year-old, who also won bronze at the 2014 World Championships, will face hard-to-beat opponents in Rio such as Ukraine´s Inna Cherniak, Azerbaijan´s Sabina Abdullayeva and South Korea´s Ha Na Seo.

Jorge Lencina (ARG)

Argentina’s 2015 Parapan American champion (-90kg) is hoping to outdo his Beijing 2008 and London 2012 bronze-medal performances in Rio, despite sharing a highly competitive category with Cuba’s reigning Paralympic gold medallist Jorge Hierrezuelo Marcillis, USA’s world champion Dartanyon Crockett and Brazil’s Paralympic multi-medallist Antonio Tenorio.

Nikolett Szabo (HUN)

After Spain´s triple Paralympic gold medallist Carmen Herrera (-70kg) announced her retirement, Hungary´s reigning world champion appeared among the potential successors to the judo throne. Szabo, who won the bronze medal at London 2012, aims to make another step forward and claim the gold in Rio.

Mouloud Noura (ALG)

The -60kg reigning world champion seeks to repeat Beijing 2008 gold medal at Rio 2016. Noura, who claimed bronze four years ago in London, will face tough-opposition from Russia’s European champion Vitalli Koriakin and Uzbekistan’s World No. 1 Sherzod Namazov.

Yanping Yuan (CHN)

China´s 40-year-old reigning world and Asian champion (+70kg) is on the current most dominant run in world judo. Yuan also won gold at both Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Paralympics. It will be hard for her rivals to stop her from extending her impressive winning streak in Rio this year.