Title holder Igolnikov wants to show his consistence

European champion Mikhail Igolnikov was called upon for the second Grand Slam of the season. Igolnikov has been mooted as the long-term hope for Russia in his weight category but Russia has a complicated selection system and the longest serving judoka could stay a long time such as Kirill Denisov.

Igolnikov will be in action on Sunday and he will be in a tough poule with former World Champions (U81kg) Avtandili Tchrikishvili and Loic Pietri. A sort of poule of death with Paris winner Dong-Han Gwak perhaps as opponent in the quarter final. The category U90kg has the most athletes of all categories and never in the history of the IJF World Tour, this category U90kg had over 60 athletes.

Igolnikov won the first Düsseldorf Grand Slam a year ago to arrival in style on the IJF World Judo Tour and has since won the European title, Abu Dhabi Grand Slam and bronze at his first Masters in the U90kg category.

The 2018 European Champion of Tel Aviv broke through at senior level but we know him for a long time. In 2018 Russian Mikhail Igolnikov won the European senior title in 2018 in Tel Aviv. He won the Grand Slam in Düsseldorf. He became Youth Olympic Champion in 2014. He was European Cadet Champ in 2011, 2012 and 2013. He won the World Cadet title in 2011 in Kiev and took bronze in 2013 and won the EYOF in 2015, all as a cadet. As Junior Igolnikov won the European Junior title in 2016 in Malaga. He World Junior silver in 2014 U81kg. European Junior bronze U90kg in 2015. In 2017 he became European U23 Champion.  Last year he won in Düsseldorf as well as the Grand Slam in Abu Dhabi and he seems to be the man for the future at Olympic level U90kg.

Russia have shuffled their squad this week and have sent a 19-strong team to Germany which is one of the largest and most well-balanced delegations in the competition.