Several contenders for U52kg gold in Dushanbe

The winner in the -52kg category in Dushanbe in 2023 was Alesia Kuznetsova (AIN), who won gold after a grueling 29 minutes of competition in 4 matches. Along the way, she defeated Sita Kadamboeva (UZB) in the semi-final and Gultaj Mammadaliyeva (AZE) in the final and both fighters once again joined Kuznetsova in the draw, seeded third and second respectively. With the Neutral Individual Athlete currently ranked 45th in the Olympic rankings, she will need to reach the podium here and in Astana next week to have any hope of qualifying for the Games. Ana Viktoria Puljiz is our tip.

This time, without seeds, she may have to work even harder to do so. In the first round, she will face Ayumi Leiva Sanchez (ESP), who impressed by winning bronze in her first World Judo Tour event at the Antalya Grand Slam in March. If she makes it to the second round, in-form number one seed Mascha Ballhaus (GER) awaits.

Mammadaliyeva and fellow top seeded athletes Angelica Delgado (USA) and Ana Viktoria Puljiz (CRO) currently occupy the last three direct Olympic qualifying positions, but there are several athletes in the draw who could overtake them with a favorable result here, including Republic of Korea’s Yerin Jung and Seyun Jang, fifth seed Aleksandra Kaleta (POL) and eighth seed Binta Ndiaye (SUI). With so many talents in the draw, there will be no easy path to a medal. Who will come out on top?

Profile Ana Viktorija Puljiz

Croatia’s Ana-Viktorija Puljiz (2002) won the senior European bronze medal in 2022 in Sofia (-48kg) and has a strong record at youth levels, including being the 2017 European under-18 champion (-44kg) and European under-18 champion. -23 in 2021 (- 52kg). Puljiz has excelled on the world judo circuit, securing a silver medal in Tbilisi in 2024 (-52kg), silver at the Portuguese Grand Prix in 2022 and bronze at the Zagreb Grand Prix in 2021. She was also leader of the world cadet rankings in 2018 and 2019. (-44kg). Puljiz is known for her dedication to judo and is a law student. She finds strength in her faith through prayer.