Baku Test Awaits Sanshiro Murao at -90 kg

Sanshiro Murao arrives in Baku as the world number one in the -90 kg division, carrying an unbeaten run since the Paris 2024 Olympic Games final. The Japanese judoka is the clear favourite as the World Championships move into the heavier weight categories.

That status will bring pressure as well as expectation. Murao has not lost since his Olympic final defeat, but the route through a world championship field offers no easy matches. Every contender will be targeting one of just four podium places.

A quarter-final against Serbia’s Nemanja Majdov is a possible early test. Majdov, the 2017 world champion, is known for hard and powerful judo and has the experience to make any contest difficult.

Further ahead, Rafael Macedo could be waiting in a potential semi-final. The Brazilian would first need to navigate a demanding section of the draw that includes Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medallist Maxime-Gael Ngayap Hambou of France and fellow Brazilian Guilherme Schimidt.

Murao’s winning streak faces its biggest examination on the Baku tatami.

The lower half has its own major threats. Georgia’s Luka Maisuradze, world champion in 2023, is the highest-ranked athlete in that section. Japan’s Goki Tajima also enters the conversation, while Azerbaijan’s Murad Fatiyev will have the backing of the home crowd.

The -90 kg category is set up for a fierce battle between established champions, Olympic medallists and athletes looking to make their own statement. Murao may be the man everyone is chasing, but the World Championships have a way of making favourites earn every step forward.

Source: IJF.org

Image source: IJF / International Judo Federation