Multiple candidates for gold U52kg in Dushanbe

Eighth seed Binta Ndiaye (SUI) has good chances for the her first gold medal in the IJF World Judo Tour if she can beat her Swiss experienced opponent Fabienne Kocher. It would not be the first confrontation between two Swiss in a World Tour final, in 2018 Kocher lost the final against Evelyne Tschopp at the Grand Prix in Cancun (MEX). This time, Binta Ndiaye is the rookie. In all World Cups ever it is the 17th all Swiss final at senior level.

Being unseeded this time, she may have to work even harder to do so. In round 1, she will face Ayumi Leiva Sanchez (ESP), who impressed by taking bronze in her first ever World Judo Tour event at the Antalya Grand Slam back in March. If she makes it to round 2, the number one seed and in-form Mascha Ballhaus (GER) awaits.

Mammadaliyeva and the other seeded athletes Angelica Delgado (USA) and Ana Viktoria Puljiz (CRO) currently occupy the final three direct Olympic qualification positions but there are several athletes in the draw who could overtake them with a favourable result here, including the Republic of Korea's Yerin Jung and Seyun Jang, fifth seed Aleksandra Kaleta (POL). With such talent everywhere to be found in the draw, there will be no easy route to a medal. Who will come out on top?

The winner at -52kg in Dushanbe in 2023 was Alesia Kuznetsova (AIN), who took gold after an exhausting 29 minutes of contest time over 4 matches. En route, she defeated Sita Kadamboeva (UZB) in the semi-final and Gultaj Mammadaliyeva (AZE) in the final and both fighters join Kuznetsova in the draw once more, seeded third and second, respectively. With the Individual Neutral Athlete currently lagging in 45th place in the Olympic rankings, she will need to make it onto the podium here and in Astana next week to have any hope of qualifying for the Games. 

Profile Binta Ndiaye

Swiss judoka Binta Ndiaye is coached by Hiroshi Katanishi and Tatsuto Shima. At national level by Dominique Hischier. She comes from triplets. She clinched bronze at the Junior Worlds in Guayaquil (2022) and secured gold at the Cadet European Cup in Teplice (2021) and the  Cadet European title in Riga (2021). Notably, Ndiaye won gold at the European Open in Sarajevo (2022), with silver finishes at the European Open in Prague (2022) and Junior level in Graz. Her achievements also include silver at the Grand Prix in Linz (2024). She can win her first World Tour gold medal in Dushanbe if she can resist her Swiss opponent Fabienne Kocher.