Leading the heavyweight men on the final day of World Judo Championships 2025 is KIM Minjong (KOR), the defending champion and Olympic silver medallist, followed by Olympic bronze medallist, Temur RAKHIMOV (TJK). However first up for Team Europe is the former World and current European Champion, Inal TASOEV (IJF).
Tasoev is renowned for his flair, his epic ashi waza in a heavyweight category is some of the most aesthetically pleasing on the judo scene right now so many judo fans will be excited to see the world ranked number one chase down a second title.
As will a number of his rivals in this category! Starting with the 2018 World Champion, Guram TUSHISHVILI (GEO). Their head to head currently sees a record in favour of Tasoev, 5:1, the pair always finding each other in the final or semi final of major events. Tushishvili did come close to claiming a second title last year, defeating the likes of Alisher YUSUPOV (UZB) and Tamerlan BASHAEV (IJF) on the road to the final, but fell in the final seconds.
Also in the World Champion club is Andy GRANDA (CUB) who, on the day of his career highlight, won out over Tushishvili and finally, SAITO Tatsuru (JPN). The final ‘world’ legend who will be competing in Budapest is also a double Olympic Champion, Lukas KRPALEK (CZE).
Krpalek will go down in history as one of the greatest judoka, who can boast numerous Olympic medals as well as two World titles dating back to 2014 in Chelyabinsk. The 34 year-old certainly chalks up most of the experience, and most recently took a European Championship medal, driving that his time is far from over! Even an epic performance against top opponent, Tushishvili, in the Upper Austria Grand Prix was one for the books, drawing in a hugely supportive crowd and making for one of the most exciting head to heads on the tour this year.
The final seeded hope for Europe in this category is former European Champion, Tamerlan BASHAEV (IJF), also two-time senior World medallist, a silver in 2021 and bronze in 2024, but that gold has evaded him, possibly up until now.
Judoka
Author: Thea Cowen