Tokyo Preview women U52kg: Super clash between Abe and Kelmendi

The biggest clash at the World Championships we look out for U52kg is between current World Champion from Japan Uta Abe and double World Champion Majlinda Kelmendi of Kosovo. Both can meet in the final in Tokyo. Also 2017 World Champion Ai Shishime is in the field at seed No. 3.

Abe and Kelmendi have not fought before. It will be youth (Abe) versus experience (Kelmendi). Right-handed (Abe) vs left-handed (Kelmendi). Abe has got an advantage on the ground as she likes groundwork but Kelmendi has the advantage in the strength department. She is widely considered to be physically the strongest player in her category. Both have got immense throwing power. So it will be an interesting match for sure, if they get the chance to meet up. Without question, an Abe-Kelmendi match will be the fight of the tournament in this class.

There are lots of good players in this division including World No. 1 Amandine Buchard of France who is likely opposed to Ana Perez Box of Spain as no. 8 of the current seeding list. Swiss Evelyne Schopp is in the poule with Abe.

Belgian Charline van Snick is still able to reach the top eight and Russian Natalia Kuziutina is even considered a medal candidate. Both are probably in the same poule.

Also interesting is those who are not seeded:  Italian Odette Giuffrida is always able to peak when it is the right timing to outperform. Andreea Chitu proved that she is still a big thrower. Both Brazilian girls showed that they can replace Erika Miranda, but they are not yet of that kind, but Larissa Pimenta is an outsider for a stunt.

Anja Stangar, Chelsie Giles, Gefen Primo, Alesya Kuznetsova, Fabienne Kocher are all good players, but we don’t see them reaching the top 8, but for giving a hard time to some players, you can count them in.