Odivelas 2018: Judo Worlds to be shown live

With exactly one month to go until the Judo World Championships get underway in Odivelas, Portugal, the International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) has revealed that every moment will live streamed on Facebook and YouTube.

As well as the titles on offer, the competition marks the start of the qualification process for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. Athletes will be able to secure points towards the world rankings, which will determine who will go to the Games.

The Worlds, which take place from 16-18 November, are expected to attract nearly 300 judoka from more than 30 countries. These include a huge number of Paralympic, world and regional champions.

Ones to watch

France’s Sandrine Martinet won gold in the women’s up to 52kg at the Rio 2016 Paralympics, adding to her silver from Beijing 2008 and Athens 2004. Now competing in the up to 48kg, Martinet secured first place on her return to the mat at the IBSA Judo World Cup in Atyrau, Kazakhstan, in September.

In the women’s up to 70kg Lenia Ruvalcaba has been in great form since claiming the Paralympic title two years ago, also bagging a regional title. The Mexican will be hoping to improve on her bronze medal from the last World Championships in 2014 in Colorado Springs, USA.

Zviad Gogotchuri won Georgia’s first Paralympic medal with gold in the men’s up to 90kg in Rio. In 2018 he will compete in the up to 100kg against a stacked field including South Korea’s Paralympic title holder Gwang Geun Choi.

Uzbekistan have two Rio 2016 gold medallists in the men’s – Sherzod Namozov in the up to 60kg and Utkirjon Nigmatov in the up to 66kg.