Athletes jump in the world ranking after collecting 700 points

No direct changes this week after the Oceania Open in Perth and Georgia still strong in the men’s categories with three World Ranking leaders: Grigalashvili, Maisuradze and Sulamanidze. Canada and Italy both have two world ranking leaders in Scutto and Bellandi (ITA) and Deguchi and Beauchemin-Pinard.

Perth did gave the opportunity to take some precious points for the qualification. The winners were awarded with 700 points, equal to a Grand Prix level event. Winner Yang (TPE) added another 700 points. He recently won the Asian Games which was also a welcome 700 points and is now ranked fourth. Yang is the silver medallist of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, but those point don’t count anymore. In Doha he collected 320 points, so he wants to stay in the top 8.

For Abderrahmane Boushita it was more important taking 700 points for his victory. The Moroccan fighter won U66kg and this was his best performance in terms of points. He is now ranked 31 in the ranking. He took silver in the African Championships.

Italian winner Jack Gamba is still in competition for qualification, now ranked 29^th after his victory in Australia and is on good form. He won the European Open but that only delivered him 100 points, so imagine the investment worth while to make the trip.

Some of the athletes used Perth as a hub to come to the Grand Slam in Tokyo. Remarkable was the Chinese performance of the women with two gold medals, two silver and bronze winning the medal tally, they are in eager to qualify as many women as possible for all seven categories.

In Azerbaijan there is a small gap after Mehdiyev retired, but Murad Fatiyev seems to be in qualification mode being the number 17 of the world now after taking 700 points from Perth. He will have to hold off the Azeri talents that are looking to take that position as well.

Traditionally a lot of British athletes competed in Perth however without a gold medal, still four medals in total. Also Spain invested in the trip with mostly women in the medal fights. Ariane Toro Soler won the U52kg class and is now ranked 33. A great jump almost doubling her points.

Slovak heavyweight Marius Fizel is now ranked 22. after his gold medal, a big jump and also on good form as he was fifth at the Europeans and is on a role this year, he might make it to Paris 2024.