Russian team announced for Budapest Worlds

Not a surprise that the Russian team for the World Championships was announced after the Grand Slam in Kazan. There were a number of surprises at the Grand Slam and as this year both the Olympic Games and World Championships are held, even within two months time, the team can vary from the top team appearing at the Olympic Games.

This is a well-known habit on the part of Ezio Gamba, the boss of the Russian team. The world championships take place from 6-13 June in Hungary and the Russian team consists of the maximum 18 members.

On the men's side, three categories are doubled: -66kg, -73kg and -81kg. A choice that suggests that the Russian staff is using this competition as a justice of the peace for the Olympic selection, no clear leader emerging in these three categories of middleweight. World championships which will therefore have a real stake for these six Russian fighters.

For the -60kg, -100kg and + 100kg Budapest it looks the decision is made for the selection of the Tokyo Olympic Games as for the Budapest team Yago Abuladze, Arman Adamian and Tamerlan Bashaev are selected. Perhaps the most likely line up for the Olympic Games in these categories is: Robert Mshvidobadze, Niiaz Ilyasov and Inal Tasoev. In any case Murad Chopanov and Makhmadbek Makhmadbekov have earned a place at the World Championships team due to their golden performance in Kazan.

Our partner L’Esprit du Judo thinks it can therefore assume that the following women’s team is appointed for the Olympic Games.

Irina Dolgova (-48kg), Natalia Kuziutina (-52kg), Daria Mezhetskaia (-57kg), Daria Davydova (-63kg), Madina Taimazova (-70kg), Aleksandra Babintseva (-78kg) and Kseniia Chibisova (+ 78kg).

Female selection for Budapest

-48kg: Sabina Giliazova

-48kg: Irina Khubulova

-52kg: Alesya Kuznetsova

-52kg: Anastasia Polikarpova

-57kg: Anastasiia Konkina

-63kg: Ekaterina Valkova

-78kg: Antonina Shmeleva

-78kg: Niurguiana Nikiforova

+ 78kg: Anzhela Gasparian

Men’s selection

-60kg: Yago Abuladze

-66kg: Yakub Shamilov

-66kg: Murad Chopanov

-73kg: Denis Iartcev

-73kg: Makhmadbek Makhmadbekov

-81kg: Khasan Khalmurzaev

-81kg: Aslan Lappinagov

-100kg: Arman Adamian

+ 100kg: Tamerlan Bashaev