It's starting to tease... It's getting closer... What ? The Tokyo Olympics ! The Madrid’s Worlds have allowed some to rank well, others have lost quite a lot. Time is not yet to worry but a bad winter would handicap them for their future in Japan.
In short, between those who missed the boat in Spain, those who would like to get their revenge, and the « winners » who intend to confirm their result and increase their lead, a plethora of fights are tantalizing. Duels that are eagerly awaited at the Paris Open (January 25-27)...

By Florian Fournier and Ludovic Mauchien

Photos : Kphotos

-60 kg : Crescenzo / Samdan

Italy’s Crescenzo, Europe vice-champion and World champion, will be awaited by all. All his fights will be tough duels. But he has a respondent. Turkey’s Samdan, World n°1, missed his Worlds. He has a revenge and valuable points to take. In ambush, the young Japanese wisp, Naoto Sago, world  silver medalist in Madrid, can again create a surprise, as Iran’s Amir Mehdizadeh, 2016 World champion or the two-times World champion, Brazil’s Douglas Brose. Johan Lopes, 3rd last year, is still ready to spring.

-67 kg : Da Costa / Figueira

We could have said Steven Da Costa / Burak Uygur. The Turkish double running European champion, did not succeed in his Worlds. He is hungry and has hardly the right right to make mistakes. But, this final of the World championships between the Frenchman and Vinicius Figueira, won 6-5 by Steven Da Costa after being led 3-0, necessarily calls a sequel. The French Wold champion, winner in Paris last year, will be keen to heat Coubertin for his comeback at home.

-75 kg : Aghayev / Busa

This has been going on for fifteen years. When they compete on the mat, 8 individual world titles intersects ! Each of their fight is a matter of pride, of honour. No one will let go the match. Italy’s Luigi Busa finished 2nd in the Worlds, Rafael Aghayev 3rd. And that, « Raf » does not like it... But this category is so dense that it would be unfair not to name Ukraine’s Horuna and Japan’s Nishimura, who complete the « Great 4 »..

-84 kg : Kvesic / Chobotar

Even if it will not change the result, we would like to see it anyway this World final between Croatia’s Ivan Kvesic and Ukraine’s Chobotar. The latter, knocked out in the team tournament, could not fight. It was therefore by forfeit that Ivan Kvesic won the final. A taste of unfinished (especially for Chobotar).

But beware, Iran’s Poorshab and Turkey’s Aktas, 3rd in Madrid, Japan’s Araga, who has a revenge to take, and France’s Kenji Grillon are in ambush.

+84 kg : Horne / Ganjzadeh

Again, we choose the remake of a final of the world championships. Why ? Because these are the last two World champions, because Jonathan Horne has scored a Ushiro Ura Mawashi to Sajad Ganjzadeh, who has not forgotten it... And this is not the style to stretch the other cheek.

The German and the Iranian fighters seem above the fray, but France’s Mehdi Filali, finalist last year, is ready to fire again…

Male Kata : Kiyuna / Moto

Emperor Ryo Kiyuna is back to business. After his third consecutive World title, he is more than ever untouchable. Behind him, two men stand out. Kazumasa Moto and Damian Quintero. If the Spaniard, Vice-World champion, is for many, Kiyuna’s N°1 competitor, the talent of Kazumasa Moto and the opposition of style between the Shito-ryu Kiyuna and the Shotokan Moto arouse more our curiosity. Their last duel, won by Kiyuna in the final in Tokyo, is one of the most spectacular finals in recent years.

-50 kg : Miyahara / Ozcelik

The final of the World championships is the duel of this category. In the absence of Alexandra Recchia (injured at her hamstring), Miyo Miyahara, the Japanese world champion and winner in Paris last year is undoubtedly the big favorite. Defeated in the final of the world championships, Serap Ozcelik with her record and her regularity is the n°1 opponent for Miyahara.

-55 kg : Terliuga / Banaszczyk

For this category, the choice of the Ukrainian champion is all given. World N°1, European champion and regular on the Premier League and Series A, her failure at the World championships (defeated in the first round) seems only an accident. To face her in this duel, the candidates are numerous. Sara Cardin absent due to injury (operated knee), our decision focused on the young Polish woman Dorota Banaszczyk who created a big surprise in Madrid by winnng the World title. However, this category of -55kg can hold us surprises like the final of last year won by Sabrina Ouihaddadène who will not fail to defend her performance.

-61 kg : Philippe / Heurtault

Second and third last year, the two French women represent the expected duel of this Paris Open (and the year to come). Defeated in the first round of the World championships, the « Grand winner » 2018, Gwendoline Philippe, will be keen to erase the Madrid’s failure. Her main opponent, in France and in the international ranking, Leila Heurtault, World team champion in Madrid, also wants to win at home to earn points and access to her dream of qualifying for Tokyo 2020.

-68 kg : Agier / Matoub

This duel may seem surprising, since the world champion, Irina Zaretska, is not quoted, but a final between Alizee Agier, defending champion, and Lamya Matoub, 3rd at the Worlds under the banner of Algeria, seems more enticing. However, this category is dense in talent. Kayo Someya, Elena Quirici, Johanna Kneer... Beautiful fights will not be missed.

+68 kg : Uekusa / Chatziliadou

Finals of the last two world championships, the first won by the Japanese, the second by the Greek, the duel between Uekusa and Chatziliadou will become a classic. In ambush, Anne-Laure Florentin, who will evolve at home, intends to scramble the cards and end this duel. Finalist last year and winner of Tokyo ahead of Uekusa, Nancy Garcia can also pull out of the game.

Female Kata : Shimizu / Sanchez

No surprise for Kata. Kiyou Shimizu and Sandra Sanchez are now making appointments at almost all competitions. If Grace Lau can hope to dislodge one of them, it seems all the same that we will attend a new duel between these two kata monsters. The final of the World championships, which saw the Spanish win at home, could move to Paris this weekend.