Idalys Ortiz and Iván Silva in the International Judo Federation world ranking top 10

November 27, 2020

Idalys Ortiz as leader in the +78 kg division and Iván Silva second in 90 kg have the best positions among several Cuban judokas at the end of 2020 among the top 10 in the ranking of the International Judo Federation (IJF).

The latest update of the standings, following the continental events in the Americas and Europe, maintained Ortiz as first in her weight with a wide margin of 7,118 points, well ahead of Brazilian Maria Suelen Altheman (5,818) and Japanese Akira Sone (5,550).

The three occupy similar positions in the list for the qualification for the Tokyo Olympic Games, closing on June 28, 2021 for the 386 competitors, of which the first 18 in each of the 14 categories, 100 by continental quotas, plus 14 from the host country and 20 invitees.

Silva regained second place with 5,185 after the 700 points added by the gold in the Pan-American championship in Guadalajara last weekend, behind Spanish Nikoloz Sherazadishvili (8,111), who could only finish in fifth place at the European championship held on the same date. These two also lead the contenders for the competition under the five rings.

In the general top ten are also Maylín del Toro (63 kg), who dropped to seventh with 4,002 due to achieving only one of the fifth places in the American championship. In her case for the Olympic she would rise to fourth by having three Japanese women ahead of her.

The remaining Cuban with privileged status is Kaliema Antomarchi (78 kg) despite not attending the continental championship. The Caribbean athlete maintains eighth place with 4,242 in a category where there was only one change among the top 11 with the rise of French Madeleina Malonga with 6,259 to the top for her gold medal in the European competition held in Prague, the Czech capital.

Antomarchi has two French women ahead of her (only one can attend) and two Japanese, so she now has the fifth spot for Tokyo.

Another Cuban gold medalist in the Mexican city, Andy Granda, in +100 kg improved with that result from 20th to 17th in the general standings with 2,778. For the one destined to award spots to the Japanese capital he is now 10th as five countries have duplicate candidates and also has two hosts ahead of him.

The Island has so far one other athlete with a ticket for the Japanese capital, Magdiel Estrada (73 kg) with a valid score to enter by continental quota.

To complete the final list of this 2020 only the African event remains, scheduled for December, and the Asia-Oceania event, which was scheduled to start on November 26 in Ulan-Bator, Mongolia, but without confirmation from the major powers such as Japan, South Korea, China, and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The African competition will not alter many positions, mainly the top ones, and the Asia-Pacific one not much either if those powerful nations ultimately do not attend.

Therefore the ranking will remain with few changes until January 2021 when from the 11th to the 13th the restart of the World Tour is scheduled with the Master in Doha, Qatar, endowed with 1,800 points and to which, according to IJF president Marius Vizer, the top 36 of each division will be invited according to the final ranking update on December 20.