The 2018 International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) Judo World Championships will get underway in Odivelas, Portugal, from 16-18 November.

It is the biggest competition on the calendar and also the first opportunity to grab qualification points for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

All competitions will be shown live at IBSA’s YouTube channel and IBSA Judo’s Facebook page.

IBSA Judo is giving fans an insight into some of the athletes competing by describing at least one for each letter of the alphabet in an A-Z series.

D

Ukraine’s Dymtro Solovey, the London 2012 Paralympic champion in the men’s up to 73kg, is a serial medallist at major events and is still only 25. In Odivelas, Solovey will try to improve on his bronze medal from the 2014 Worlds in Colorado, USA. He also claimed silver at the Rio 2016 Paralympics, but failed to medal at the Euros in 2017. Can he return to the podium once again?

E

Ehsan Mousanezhad Karmozdi is flying high after beating South Korea’s Paralympic champion Gwan Geun Choi at the recent Asian Para Games. The Iranian has only been competing in judo since 2017 and was previously a powerlifter. In his first competitive year he claimed gold in the men’s up to 100kg at the IBSA Judo Asian Championships, whilst Choi switched up to the over 100kg.

In Odivelas the pair will meet again as Choi returns to the lower weight category.
Turkey’s Ecem Tasin is another serious medal collector in the women’s up to 48kg. The 27-year-old has finished on the podium at the last three European Championships. She also made the top three on her Paralympic debut in 2016, claiming bronze. Tasin will hope to add a medal from the World Championships to her collection in Odivelas after a great 2018 season which has seen her reach two World Cup podiums.

F

As Para sport grows in popularity ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, one of Japan’s most prolific judoka is preparing to compete at home. Still competing at the age of 43, Satoshi Fujimoto inspired a generation of Japanese judoka with his Paralympic golds from Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004. After silver at Beijing 2008 and sitting-out London 2012, Fujimoto returned to the mat for Rio 2016 and showed he can still challenge for the podium.  The incredible Japanese judoka left with bronze in the men’s up to 66kg, maintaining his record of winning at every Paralympic Games he has competed at.

G

Priscilla Gagne will make her World Championships debut as the Pan American champion from her home Championships in Calgary, Canada, in the women’s up to 52kg. Gagne also picked up silver at the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Championships.

Credit: Rafal Burza
 
The USA’s Christella Garcia is also in the hunt for her first Worlds medal in the women’s up to 70kg. The judoka has moved from the over 70kg where she won bronze at Rio 2016.
The 2018 IBSA Judo World Championships will feature nearly 300 of the world’s best judoka from more than 30 countries.

As well as the livestream, live coverage will be available at IBSA Judo’s Twitter and Instagram.

Media accreditation is available by contacting [email protected].