Photographs by Gabriela Sabau, Marina Mayorova, Emanuele Di Feliciantonio, Lars Moeller Jensen
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The days go by and look the same, without being the same. They look alike from an organisational point of view, but with the categories of the judoka changing, every day we can enjoy a completely renewed show. It is not enough to say that the two categories of the day exuded freshness, work ethic and talent. They also selected among themselves two great champions, ambassadors for judo and they are even more impressive when we consider just how close we are to the big Tokyo rendezvous.
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The home team is allowed to field four contestants per category on the World Judo Tour and Russia took full advantage on day two in Kazan.
Two golds for Russia
Makhmadbek Makhmadbekov took Ayub Khazhaliev by surprise for ippon in the all Russian -73kg final.
Before the tournament we prepared together, we lived together and then we ended up in the final together. We agreed that it didn’t matter who won because in the end, we are friends. Makhmadbek Makhmadbekov
Rustam Minnikhanov, the President of the Republic of Tatarstan, awarded the medals. Judo is family,” said Makhmadbekov afterwards. “We train all year long together and we are brothers to each other. In the final I faced Ayub Khazhaliev, my teammate. Before the tournament we prepared together, we lived together and then we ended up in the final together. We agreed that it didn’t matter who won because in the end, we are friends.
Written by Nicolas Messner, Leandra Freitas on 03. Apr 2021
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Venezuela has been very active on the World Judo Tour for several years. We wanted to know a little bit more about the team and their secrets. Kilmar Campos is the coach of the Venezuelan team. We met him on the last day of competition in Antalya. The Venezuelan delegation in Antalya My team is still under construction; it’s a work in progress. In 2017 we changed the direction of the federation and Katiuska Santaella was elected President. Since then everything changed and for the better. She knows judo very well, is a coach herself and she is a member of the IJF Education Commission. She knows how it is on the field.