The Men's and Women's Judo competitions begin on Sunday, September 7, at the Workers' Gymnasium, with three-time Paralympic gold medalist Fujimoto Satoshi of Japan looking for a fourth gold medal in the Men's Judo -66kg category.
In the Women's Judo competition, the gold, silver and bronze medalists from the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games -48kg category return and competition in this division will be fierce.
In the first of three days of action, the medals for the Men's -60kg, Men's -66kg, Women's -48kg and Women's -52kg categories will all be decided.
Men's -60kg
Favorites
- Sergio Perez (Cuba) is one of the favorites, despite being stripped of his gold at the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games for failing a drug test.
- Perez won the 2007 IBSA World Championships in Sao Paulo as well as the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games title.
-- Ramin Ibrahimov (Azerbaijan) won the 2007 IBSA World Championships competing in the -66kg class and will challenge Perez in the -60kg division.
Challengers
- Athens 2004 Paralympic Games silver medalist Hirose Makoto of Japan will be looking to challenge for gold again in Beijing.
- Ihor Zasyadkovych (Ukrain) won a bronze medal in Athens and is one of the oldest competitors (46 years old).
Also...
- Li Xiaodong (China) finished third at the 2007 IBSA World Championships and was second in China's National Championships in 2007.
Men's -66kg
Favorites
- Japan's Fujimoto Satoshi won gold in Athens 2004, the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games and the Atlanta 1996 Paralympic Games Judo competitions, and will be one of the favorites in Beijing.
Challengers
- Reza Golmohammadi Andarian (Iran) was third at the 2007 IBSA World Championships and winner of the 2005 World Championships.
Also...
- Darren Harris (Great Britain) also qualified for the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games Football 5-a-side competition, but the Paralympic rules allow athletes to participate in only one event and Harris decided to compete in the Men's Judo competition.
Women's -48kg
Favorites
- Reigning Paralympic champion Karima Medjeded (France) returns to defend her title, having received a knighthood from French President Jacques Chirac after winning gold at Athens 2004.
- Germany's Carmen Brussig won the 2007 IBSA World Championships in Sao Paulo, and will have the support of her sister Ramona Brussig (Germany) who competes on Monday in the -57kg category.
Challengers
- Karla Cardoso (Brazil) won silver in Athens 2004 and was also second at the 2007 IBSA World Championships.
- Athens 2004 bronze medalist Victoria Potapova (Russia) returns and will be looking to avenge her first round loss to Cardoso in the 2007 IBSA World Championships.
Also...
- China's Guo Huaping beat Potapova to secure third at the 2007 IBSA World Championships, and will have home crowd support. The two will meet if both judoka win their first round matches.
Women's -52kg
Favorites
- Alesya Stepanyuk (Russia) won the 2007 IBSA World Championships and will start as favorite in a division that contains only seven athletes.
Challengers
- Sandrine Aurieres-Martinet (France) won silver at Athens 2004. She is the oldest judoka in this class at 26 and her experience might prove important.
- Michelle Ferreira (Brazil) finished second at the 2007 IBSA World Championships.
Also...
- 18 year-old Tsuchiya Minako (Japan) only made her Judo debut in 2007 and is looking to become the first female Japanese judoka to win a medal at the Paralympics.
(BOCOG September 7, 2008)