Judo Qingdao Grand Prix 2025: athletes to watch
When the tatami unrolls in Qingdao, the conversation will quickly turn to the names shaping the year’s narrative.
Nowhere is that more apparent than in the women’s -48 kg division, where France’s Shirine Boukli arrives as the headline act. A mixed team Olympic champion, an individual bronze medallist in Paris 2024, and a world silver medallist, she embodies consistency at the highest level.
Her biggest threat is likely to come from Mongolia’s Ganbaatar Narantsetseg, already a grand slam winner this season, while Chile’s Mary Dee Vargas Ley will hope to seize her first World Tour podium after finding success on the Pan American circuit.
At -52 kg, Hungary’s Roza Gyertyás carries the promise of momentum. Her bronze at her home world championships in Budapest this year confirmed her emergence, and a run to the Universiade final shows even more promise. Yet her route in Qingdao looks steep, with strong opposition from Asia and a draw that could pit her against multiple seasoned campaigners.
Her compatriot Szofi Ozbas, who has thrived in her move up to -70 kg with three grand slam golds this year, will also test herself against a field that includes 2024 world champion Margaux Pinot.
While Japan’s vice world champion Tamaoki Momo headlines the -57kg category, her teammate Taiki Nakamura commands attention in the lightest of the men’s categories: -60kg. A junior world champion turned senior bronze medallist, his rise through the ranks has been sharp. Republic of Korea’s Lee Harim brings greater experience, while Japan’s Kondo Hayato and Tajikistan’s Mehrzod Sufiev may spring some surprises.
The -66 kg men’s division could provide the drama of the weekend. Tajikistan’s Obid Dzhebov has stood on every podium he has entered this year, and his world bronze in Budapest was a statement of intent. The top seed will face the looming presence of Ryoma Tanaka, the 2024 world champion from Japan, and Mongolia’s Baskhuu Yondonperenlei, which means that even the favourites cannot afford to falter.