Not a tough field U70kg but lots of internal battles can be resolved in Kazakhstan

The U70kg category presents an opportunity for judokas to seize crucial points for Olympic qualification or resolve internal battles. Six contenders from Dushanbe return, eyeing another strong showing, but the spotlight shines brightest on the top seed, Lara Cvjetko (CRO), who clinched silver last week. Despite her recent success, Cvjetko still trails her teammate Barbara Matic in the Olympic rankings by 1800 points.

With only 1000 points available at the grand slam and both athletes slated for the upcoming Abu Dhabi World Championships, Cvjetko must secure victory here to narrow the gap and enhance her chances of surpassing Matic at the Worlds.

For the British duo of Kelly Petersen Pollard and Katie-Jemima Yeats-Brown, their bronze and fifth-place finishes in Tajikistan propelled them into Olympic qualifying positions. However, with only one spot available for Paris, the race between them remains tight, with Petersen Pollard leading by a slim margin of 200 points. Petersen Pollard faces a challenging opener against Irene Pedrotti (ITA) and potentially a quarter-final clash with Gulnoza Matniyazova (UZB). Meanwhile, Yeats-Brown could encounter the formidable Madina Taimazova (AIN) in the quarter-finals.

Kim Polling (ITA), making her WJT debut for Italy, is seeded sixth, adding another dimension to the competition. Maya Goshen (ISR) completes the roster of seeded players. While the top eight currently occupy direct Olympic qualification spots, contenders like Ida Eriksson (SWE), Fidan Ogel (TUR), and Luana Carvalho (BRA) could disrupt the standings with a podium finish, intensifying the battle for Olympic berths.