MOSCOW, September 15. /TASS/. Russian Olympic bronze-medalist Madina Taimazova and two-time World Champion Inal Tasoyev will be part of Russia’s national judo squad at the upcoming 2026 World Judo Championship in Baku, Azerbaijan, the Russian Judo Federation announced in a statement on Tuesday.
Nine Russians are on the official roster in women’s individual competitions, most notably three-time European Champion Sabina Gilyazova, as well as Marina Vorobyeva, the bronze medalist at the European Championships in the under-48-kg weight category.
Olga Mukhina and Irina Zueva will compete in the under-57 kg weight category, while Dali Liluashvili will be the only Russian participant in under-63 kg category. Tamara Lischenko will compete in the under-70 kilo weight class. In the over-78 kg weight category the team’s roster also listed Alice Startseva and Maria Ivanova.
On the men's side, nine more Russians will compete at the world championship. One of them will be last year's bronze medal winner at the World Championships: Ayub Bliyev in the up to 60-kg weight category. Two more Russians will compete in the under-66 kg weight category - Ramazan Abdulayev and this year’s European champion, Murad Chopanov.
In the under-73 kg weight category, last year’s European Champion Danil Lavrentyev will take to the tatami; Egor Andoni will compete in the up to to 90-kg weight category. The under-100 kg weight category Russia will be represented by Arman Adamyan and Niyaz Bilalov. Valery Endovitsky will shoulder Tasoyev in the over-100 kg weight category.
Five more judokas have been registered at the championship for mixed-competition events - Buyan-Kherel Sanaa (under-73 kg weight category), Mansur Lorsanov (under-90 kg) and Tamerlan Bashayev (over 90-kg) in the men’s category and Natalya Elkina (under-57 kg) and Alexandra Babintseva (over 70-kg) in the women’s category.
The 2026 World Judo Championships is scheduled to take place on October 4-11, 2026, at the National Gymnastics Arena in Baku, Azerbaijan.