2014 World Judo Championships day 5: Men's -90kg and Women's -70kg & -78kg

For this entire week (August 25th to the 31st) the Russian city of Chelyabinsk, otherwise known for dozens of dashboard videos of a meteor exploding over it, shall be hosting the 2014 Judo world championships. The order of competition shall be as below:

Monday August 25th

-60kg Men, -48kg Women

Tuesday August 25th

-66kg Men, -52kg Women

Wednesday August 27th

-73kg Men, -57kg Women

Thursday August 28th

-81kg Men, -63kg Women

Friday August 29th

-90kg Men, -70kg & -78kg Women

Saturday August 30th

-100kg & +100kg Men, -78kg Women

Sunday August 31st

World Team Championships (One man each at -66kg, -73kg, -81kg, -90kg, +90kg/ One woman each -52kg, -57kg, -63kg, -70kg, +70kg)

People to watch:

Men:

The favourite to win this will likely be Georgia’s Varlam Liparteliani (2013 world silver medallist, multiple European medallist). He has been on for recently and is scarily good. He does have a tough crowd between him and the gold though, including two of my favourite judoka of all time, Geirgian-born Greek powerhouse Ilias Iliadis  (Multiple Olympic, European, World medallist) and Brazil’s stylish Tiago Camilo (2x Olympic medallist, 2007 World medallist).

I’d also keep an eye on Russia’s Kirill Denisov he won this event last year and is fighting at home. Also keep an eye on the larger of the Netherlands’ Elmont brothers, Guillaume (Multiple European, World medallist) as he is always a threat.

Women:

-70kg

Ownership of this division pretty much passed from Lucie Decosse of France, another of my favourites, to the Dutch powerhouse Kim Polling (2013, 2014 European champ, 2013 World bronze medallist) and I expect it to stay there. Polling is a monster with a uniquely physical game that very few people have been able to find an answer to. That doesn't mean that no one will try though. Last year’s world champion and London Bronze medallist Yuri Alvear of Colombia will still be around, as will last year’s runner up, Laura Vargas Koch of Germany.

Also keep an eye out for Onix Cortes Aldama of Cuba and France’s Fanny Posvite. Both are fun to watch work.

-78kg

Interestingly enough, there is no analogue for this weight class as far as I'm aware in MMA and yet it always has a solid roster of really, really good athletes producing solid judo. Makes me wonder where all the women larger than 145 pounds are.

Currently, I’d peg the USA’s London gold medallist Kayla Harrison, fresh off an injury, as the best gold medal prospect at this weight, but breathing down her neck will be the always spectacular Audrey Tcheumeo of France (2011 European & World champion, London bronze medal) the other London bronze medallist, Mayra Aguiar of Brazil. Harrison narrowly beat Tcheumeo in Cuba earlier this year, but also lost to Aguiar in Russia.

Tcheumeo’s French teammate, 2013 European Champ Lucie Louette will also be worth watching, as will Cuba’s Beijing silver medallist  Yalennis Castillo. Also, Luise Malzahn of Germany (2013 European Bronze medal) and Hungary’s Abigel Joo (2013, 2014 European bronze medal). There will be a ton of hard, close fights in this division and so it should be fun