Judo: The warm-ups for the Olympic Games have started
(Photo by EJU by Gabi-Juan-Mittersill)
AMSTERDAM, January 8, 2024 - For some of the international elite judoka the season came to an end after the Grand Slam in Tokyo in the beginning of December. Some of the participants however fought at the Champions League, the European Club Championships in Belgrade and even some of the athletes fighting U57kg and U73kg ended the year at a special occasion at the European Championships for those weight categories in Pristina, de first official major championship in Kosovo.
As always the new year starts with a handful of training camps. The most familiar and most crowded is the one in Mittersill in Austria. A long lasting and pleasant tradition for 30 years of hard training and camaraderie in the Austrian Alps. There are enough training partners for each weight category and with over 900 athletes from 55 nations on the mat, in a town of just 5000 people, the judoka really spread their wings at the annual training facility in the Sporthotel Kogler.
TRADITION IS GOOD IN AUSTRIA
Mittersill is full of top stars and with 9 Olympic champions on the mat and four World Champions from Doha 2023 the quality and quantity is guaranteed.
PLENTY OF TRAINING CAMPS
It’s the start of a busy season, a season full of training camps, as not only the Austrian Alps host the athletes, but there are plenty of opportunities for any level. In the Netherlands, Belgium and Italy in the beginning of January and another tradition is a combination of the Grand Slam in Paris in February alongside a training week after the event. Some of the athletes combine a training week in Belgium and perhaps participation at the Belgian Open as a hub for Paris. Normally the next occasion would be the Grand Slam of Tel Aviv but under the circumstances safety isn’t a guarantee and that Grand Slam is postponed until further notice. Instead the Grand Slam of Baku takes place in February, while the previous edition was in September.
2024 IJF WORLD TOUR
The IJF World Tour kicks off though with the Grand Prix of Portugal in Almada, just below Lisbon at the end of January where 77 countries have registered so far. If that is the trend for all events, this year will showcase a spectacular road to Paris. To get a good feeling for the Paris vibe, participation for the elite at the biggest Grand Slam is a must.
At this Grand Slam, the best athletes of last year will be awarded. Judo fans can choose their favourite athletes, moments and ippons of last year and there are many more awards such as rising star, coaching achievements and IJF projects. It’s clear that Paris is already taking a preview of the Games that will take place in July.
Before that the World Championships will take place in Abu Dhabi (UAE) to take the last qualification points or last points necessary for a good seeing for the Olympic Games, the judo blockbusters are yet to come. The athletes are just warming up.
As always the new year starts with a handful of training camps. The most familiar and most crowded is the one in Mittersill in Austria. A long lasting and pleasant tradition for 30 years of hard training and camaraderie in the Austrian Alps. There are enough training partners for each weight category and with over 900 athletes from 55 nations on the mat, in a town of just 5000 people, the judoka really spread their wings at the annual training facility in the Sporthotel Kogler.
TRADITION IS GOOD IN AUSTRIA
Sporthotel Kogler, originally a tennis hall, is converted for judo with 1500 square metres of yellow and blue mats. Twenty-nine training sessions are offered and in between the sessions a trip to the snow is possible.
In this Olympic year the no one wants to take a fair risk, but the lovely snow is an exception for the athletes who know how to break their fall (ukemi). For them it’s just pleasure whilst the training will be tough and without a drop of snow, but just plenty of sweat.Mittersill is full of top stars and with 9 Olympic champions on the mat and four World Champions from Doha 2023 the quality and quantity is guaranteed.
PLENTY OF TRAINING CAMPS
It’s the start of a busy season, a season full of training camps, as not only the Austrian Alps host the athletes, but there are plenty of opportunities for any level. In the Netherlands, Belgium and Italy in the beginning of January and another tradition is a combination of the Grand Slam in Paris in February alongside a training week after the event. Some of the athletes combine a training week in Belgium and perhaps participation at the Belgian Open as a hub for Paris. Normally the next occasion would be the Grand Slam of Tel Aviv but under the circumstances safety isn’t a guarantee and that Grand Slam is postponed until further notice. Instead the Grand Slam of Baku takes place in February, while the previous edition was in September.
2024 IJF WORLD TOUR
The IJF World Tour kicks off though with the Grand Prix of Portugal in Almada, just below Lisbon at the end of January where 77 countries have registered so far. If that is the trend for all events, this year will showcase a spectacular road to Paris. To get a good feeling for the Paris vibe, participation for the elite at the biggest Grand Slam is a must.
At this Grand Slam, the best athletes of last year will be awarded. Judo fans can choose their favourite athletes, moments and ippons of last year and there are many more awards such as rising star, coaching achievements and IJF projects. It’s clear that Paris is already taking a preview of the Games that will take place in July.
Before that the World Championships will take place in Abu Dhabi (UAE) to take the last qualification points or last points necessary for a good seeing for the Olympic Games, the judo blockbusters are yet to come. The athletes are just warming up.
News from the same category
