Rio 2016 preview: judo

The judo competition at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games will take place in the Carioca Arena 3, in the Barra Olympic Park, from 8-10 September.

It will include seven men’s (-60kg, -66kg, -73kg, -81kg, -90kg, -100kg and 100+kg) and six women’s (-48kg, -52kg, -57kg, -63kg, -70kg and 70+kg) medal events, and 132 athletes going into battle.

In the women’s -52kg, Germany’s defending Paralympic champion Ramona Brussig is aiming to repeat her London 2012 gold medal, just like her twin sister Carmen in the -48kg.

Hungary’s Nikolett Szabo is looking to claim the women’s -70kg vacant throne after Spain’s three-time Paralympic gold medallist Carmen Herrera announced her retirement.

The local crowd will be behind Antonio Tenorio (men’s 90kg), who aims to win a record sixth Paralympic medal to end his career on a high note.

After winning Parapan American gold last year in Toronto, Canada, Mexico’s Beijing 2008 gold medallist Eduardo Avila is hoping to build on that success at Rio 2016.

China’s double Paralympic champion Yanping Yuan (+70kg) is on the most dominant run in world judo and will be looking to extend her winning streak in Rio.

Location: Carioca Arena 3 – Barra Olympic Park

Schedule: 8-10 September

Mark your calendars for…

Thursday, 8 September

•15:30-17:35 Medal contests (women’s -48kg and -52kg, and men’s -60kg and -66kg).

Friday, 9 September

•15:30-17:35 Medal contests (women’s -57kg and -63kg, and men’s -73kg and -81kg).

Saturday, 10 September

•15:30-18:15 Medal contests (women’s -70kg and +70kg, and men’s -90kg, -100kg and +100kg).

Ones to watch:

•Shirin Sharipov (UZB): He bounced back after losing the 2014 World Championships final and won gold in the -100kg at last year’s IBSA World Games.

•Dartanyon Crockett (USA): The 25-year-old is hoping to build on his 2014 world title by claiming his first Paralympic gold this September.

•Eduardo Avila Sanchez (MEX): The triple Parapan American champion won gold at Beijing 2008 and took bronze at London 2012.

•Inna Cherniak (UKR): This will be the first Paralympic Games for Cherniak, who two years ago won the World Championships in the USA.

•Nikolett Szabo (HUN): After winning bronze at the 2012 Paralympics and sealing the world title in 2014, Szabo will be a major contender in the women’s -70kg.

•Ramona Brussig (GER): The 39-year-old has claimed three medals (two golds and one silver) over three Paralympic Games. She will be looking to win her fourth in Rio.

How to follow:

•IPC Livestream

•IPC Facebook

•IPC Twitter

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Sport fans from around the world can now buy their Paralympic tickets for Rio 2016 from authorised ticket resellers (ATRs).

The IPC’s Global ATR is Jet Set Sports, and Rio 2016 tickets and packages can be purchased on the CoSport website.

Residents of Brazil can buy 2016 Paralympics tickets directly from the Rio 2016 website.

Visa International is the exclusive payment card and the official payment system for the Paralympic Games.