After making its first appearance at the Olympics in 1964, judo has become one of the most watched and attended sports of all time. In 2020, 28 countries competed at the Tokyo Olympics. With the 2024 Paris Olympics quickly approaching, anticipation for judo competition is building again. Check out these top judo athletes and influencers sharing their love and excitement for the sport.
Top Olympic judokas on social media
Niko Sherazadishvili
Niko is a Spanish judoka who is a two-time world champion now pursuing his opportunity to compete in Paris. Based in Madrid, the athlete and influencer shares his intense practices and athletic habits, which entertain his 25.4K followers on TikTok.
@nikoshera 2023 Was the Warm Up 😉 #Judo #olimpicparis2024
♬ original sound - Made Of Steel | Motivation
Latisev Mihail
Latisev, a 20-year-old world champion, represents the Republic of Moldova as one of the top junior judokas in the world. His impressive time on the mat has led him to bring home many medals and grab the attention of over 9.3K followers on Instagram.
Hifumi Abe
Hifumi is one of the most unstoppable judokas of his time and is preparing to take on the competition at the Paris Olympics. His Instagram platform shares his recent experiences and accomplishments on the mat as well as his excitement for the #roadtoparis for over 267K followers.
Jessica Klimkait
Jessica is an inspiration among women’s sports and judo athletes as a 17-time grand slam medalist, Tokyo Olympic medalist, and three-time world champion. Since she was a little girl, Jessica has been passionate about the sport. She has 54.3K Instagram followers.
Naohisa Takato
Naohisa is the top-ranked judoka in the world in the extra lightweight division. His presence on YouTube and Instagram shows his fans his talent on the mat. Throughout his YouTube channel, the Japanese judoka explains the moves and techniques he uses to fight his way to the top.
Teddy Riner
Teddy is a French judoka who holds a record for having the most judo world champion and Olympic medals of all time. More than 1.4M followers on Instagram tune in to experience the sport through the eyes of one of the greats.
Ryuju Nagayama
Ryuju is on his way to Paris as one of the most skilled judokas representing Japan. He is an inspiration to more than 59K Instagram followers. The athlete has won bronze medals at multiple world championships.
Rafaela Silva
Rafaela has had one of the most successful judo careers and she isn’t done yet. With her sights on adding medals to her impressive collection at Paris, Rafaela shares her journey on Instagram with more than 309K followers.
Sarah-Léonie Cysique
As a 25-year-old French judo athlete, Sarah took home some hardware at the Tokyo Olympics and prepares to do the same at the 2024 Games. Her platform attracts more than 19.9K followers who keep up with her latest accomplishments on the mat and preparation for Paris.
Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard
Catherine is a judoka from Canada who inspires her Instagram followers with her recent success and shares insight into competing in judo. She has shared her world championship and Olympic achievements.
Lukáš Krpálek
Lukáš is a judo champion who has represented the Czech Republic at the World Championships, Olympics, European Games, and more. His athletic achievements have gained the attention of more than 91.9K followers, with whom he keeps up to date on his latest matches and practices.
Clarisse Agbegnenou
Clarisse is a decorated judoka and champion representing France. After taking home gold in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Clarisse is hungry for more and shares her process throughout her Instagram for her 127K followers. She highlights her perfect groundwork and dominant talents on the mat.
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