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The 2011 GB World Cup will
see 38 countries and 192 elite male judoka collide in two days
of scintillating competition at the Echo Arena Liverpool on Saturday
1 and Sunday 2 October.
British Judo’s showpiece
event is being held in Liverpool, the 2008 European Capital of
Culture, for the first time this year as judoka from all four
corners of the world descend on the breathtaking Kings Waterfront
setting.
The blockbuster event,
which is supported by UK Sport and Liverpool City Council, is
one of the most unique presentations in the Olympic sport with
the contests taking place on a raised platform to enhance the
viewing experience for spectators and television.
A custom-built lighting
rig will follow the athletes as they line-up ready for battle
and add to the spectacle of the action-packed competition while
over 50 junior volunteers will take part as medal assistants and
flag bearers as part of our event legacy.
The 24-man Great Britain
team will have the welcome opportunity to take on top opposition
on British soil ahead of the London 2012 Olympic Games while international
athletes will be in the hunt for world ranking points to help
seal their qualification.
Echo Arena Liverpool
France, one of the powerhouses
of international judo, has selected a 25-strong team, indicating
their high regard for the event and its first-class delivery.
The in-form nation topped
the medal table at the World Championships with six gold medals,
four coming from the individual competition and a further two
from winning both the men’s and women’s team categories.
France’s star-laden team
includes 2011 IJF Paris Grand Slam bronze medallist David Larose
(-66kg) and 2011 British Open gold medallist Loic Pietri (-81kg),
both former junior world champions.
Brazil have picked seven
highly-accomplished competitors including world number eight Hugo
Pessanha (-90kg), Felipe Kitadai (-60kg) and Daniel Hernandes
(+100kg) who, in their respective categories, are both ranked
number 13 in the world.
Among the stars in action
will also be Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Amel Mekic (+100kg), the 2011
European champion and Montenegro’s Srdjan Mrvaljevic (-81kg),
the 2011 World silver medallist.
Belgium, Germany, Ghana,
Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Morocco, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal,
Romania and Spain will be among the 38 countries represented.
British Judo Chairman and
EJU Sports Director Densign White said: “We are now in the final
year before the biggest event on earth takes place here in the
UK, the London Olympics.
"For our athletes
the GB World Cup is one of those rare opportunities to perform
in front of a home crowd and to collect those valuable world ranking
points. Other athletes from overseas will still need to qualify
and so this competition takes on an even bigger significance for
them.”
Saturday 1 October
will see the men’s lightweight categories of -60kg, -66kg and
-73kg battle for honours while Sunday 2 October will see the -81kg,
-90kg, -100kg and +100kg weight categories in action.
To book tickets
log on to www.echoarena.com or call the Echo Arena Box Office
on 0844 8000 400.
Tickets are priced
at £15 for adults & £5 for children (under 16)
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