Baku’s -81 kg Draw Is Ready to Shift the Script

The -81 kg competition at the World Championships in Baku is set to be one of the most unpredictable contests of day four. François Gauthier-Drapeau arrives as the number one seed, but the Canadian knows that status alone will not secure a medal in this deep field.

Ranked second in the world, Gauthier-Drapeau is entering his sixth world championships. He was unplaced in Hungary in September, yet his wider record shows remarkable consistency: 12 medals on the World Judo Tour. A first world championship medal would be a significant next step for the Canadian.

His route could become demanding early. In the quarter-finals, he may come up against Tato Grigalashvili, the three-time world champion from Georgia. Grigalashvili sits at 32nd in the current rankings, but that position does little to reduce the threat posed by an athlete with his record.

European talent is also firmly in the picture. Serbia’s Mihajlo Simin continues to build momentum after reaching the final of the Hungary Grand Slam in Budapest. Still one of the younger athletes in the category, Simin has improved with each appearance and has the opportunity to show more at this level.

Pool C includes two more major names. Azerbaijan’s Zelim Tckaev, a world medallist in 2025, will compete on home soil, while Belgium’s Matthias Casse brings the experience of a former world champion and Olympic medallist. Both have the pedigree to make a serious run towards the podium.

In a category this close, reputation and ranking may matter less than one decisive contest.

Pool D could deliver an especially compelling early clash. If Joonhwan Lee wins his opening contest, the Korean judoka will face Japan’s Yuhei Oino. Lee is a world and Olympic medallist, while Oino won the Paris Grand Slam earlier this season.

The pair also met in the Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam final at the beginning of the summer, adding another layer to a possible rematch. The setting in Baku brings a different level of pressure, but the prospect remains one of the most intriguing possibilities in the draw.

With established champions, emerging athletes and several proven medal contenders spread across the bracket, the -81 kg title race has no obvious outcome. That uncertainty is exactly what makes this division so compelling.

Source: IJF.org

Image source: IJF / International Judo Federation