Diyorbek Urozboev sets the tone for the Grand Prix Tashkent

This weekend the Grand Prix of Tashkent is scheduled and if 2018 was a year rich in events and results, the tournament of the coming weekend promises to be strong with no less than 349 competitors involved, representing 47 delegations from the five continents. IJF Sport Director Vladimir Barta underlined: "We are approaching the parity men and women and it is excellent news", since there will be 149 women and 200 men who will take part in the Tashkent Grand Prix in the next three days.

At the end of the draw, the presence of Diyorbek Urozboev (UZB), Olympic bronze medalist and Asian Champion, who will compete in the U60kg weight category, set the tone of the Grand Prix: "The draw is strong, very strong and many athletes have the ability to get on the podium, but beyond the draw itself, it's the tatami that will speak this weekend. We have a very strong team and I sincerely hope that we will be able to win many medals."

With 51 athletes registered (28 men and 23 women), Uzbekistan has a good chance of being close to the top of the nation rankings within three days.

The U60kg category could be summed up as a peaceful clash between Mongolia and Uzbekistan, with the top seeds coming from these two delegations: Dashdavaa Amartuvshin (MGL), Sharafuddin Lutfillaev (UZB), Diyorbek Urozboev (UZB) and Ganbat Boldbaatar (MGL). Team France which came only with a delegation of men, while they had made the choice of women in Abu Dhabi recently, can perhaps play the spoilsports with their young prodigy Luka Mkheidze, who was finalist in Cancun a few weeks ago but who is still to find his mark on the world circuit.