Preview World Championships U63kg

The top four athletes are distributed over the four pools with last year’s World bronze medallist Slovenian Tina Trstenjak as captain of pool A. Trstenjak defeated all enemies this year and should be the favourite, but the top three is close and depends on the form of the day.

Trstenjak is in a group with Edwige Gwend and Anna Bernholm. Munkhzaya Tsedevsuren, Maricet Espinosa, Junxia Jang and Mariana Silva will fight for the other quarter final place.

Kathrin Unterwurzacher is the leader of pool B that includes European champion Martina Trajdos, Rizlen Zouak, Alice Schlesinger and Juul Franssen in one tough group.

World Champion Clarisse Agbegnenou is injury free, and ids well prepared. She had some time to spend and train on her weaknesses and strengths. Although she was dethroned as European champion, the red backnumber is a valuable perk of her work and she’s determined to keep it. The French always have a minimum of two world champions since 2007, so it’s likely that at the day of Agbegnenou and Pietri we can expect more of the French team. The bronze of Pavia helps for the team spirit Agbegnenou is spurred on by the competition of Trstenjak and Gerbi. In Agbegnenou’s pool another outsider is hosted. Japanese Miku Tashiro must be able to reach the quarter final. Agbegnenou defeated last year’s bronze medallist three times. nbut first will have to put away Korean Ji-Yun Park Bak.

Out the group of Yarden Gerbi the opponent should come for Agbegnenou or Tashiro. Gerbi has a doable pool, in the other block outsider Anicka van Emden seems to be the most stable performer at top level. Although she hasn’t fought much this year and lost to Tashiro in the second round last year, Van Emden did win World bronze in 2011 and 2013. It’s odd year, so Van Emden is spuured on to show her candidacy from the beginning. Her opponent is likely Swedish Mia Hermansson, whom she beat her in Baku this year.

It’s going to be exciting on Thursday in Astana. Three Europeans World Champions in a row after the post Ueno and Ueno era. The World leading position pays out a somewhat softer left side of the schedule. The battles will be harder than ever though.

Watch all statistics for each individual match here