Barbara Matic (-70 kg, Croatia)
World number one in the weight category -70 kg, Barbara Matic of Croatia, will be attending her third Olympic Games, where she will be looking to secure the one medal missing in her impressive collection. Matic is on great form at the moment and has not missed out on a medal in almost a year. The former double World Champion is without a doubt one of the strongest contenders to win the Olympic title in the -70 kg category. Matic will, as well, have the honour of being the Croatian flagbearer at the opening ceremony.
Michaela Polleres (-70 kg, Austria)
Tokyo Olympic Games runner-up Michaela Polleres of Austria, will be looking to capture her second Olympic medal at the Games in Paris. Two times World bronze medalist Polleres is always a strong candidate in the -70 kg category and has shown on several occasions, that she performs well under pressure. This year, Polleres was able to capture two back-to-back Grand slam titles showcasing how she is on form to win another Olympic medal.
Sanne van Dijke (-70 kg, The Netherlands)
Sanne van Dijke of the Netherlands became an Olympic medalist in Tokyo, where she captured a bronze medal and she will, without a doubt, aim to add another Olympic medal to her collection. This year, Van Dijke has been struggling with injuries and has only made one appearance on the World Tour, however, on that occasion, she was able to reach the final of the Grand Slam in Tbilisi. Van Dijke is a force to be reckoned with in the -70 kg category and the Dutch powerhouse is always looking out for a top spot at the podium.
Szabina Gercsak (-70 kg, Hungary)
“Third time’s a charm” applied for Hungary’s Szabina Gercsak, who can look forwards to compete at her first Olympic Games. The tall Hungarian came close to qualifying for the Olympic Games in both Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 but narrowly missed out. Despite having dealt with several injuries, including spine surgery, the Hungarian never gave up and will be making her Olympic debut in Paris.
Laerke Marie Olsen (-70 kg, Denmark)
In 2021, Laerke Marie Olsen became the first ever female athlete from Denmark to qualify for the Olympic Games. She made her Olympic debut in Tokyo, where she competed in the -63 kg category. Olsen has now been able to qualify for her second Olympic Games in a different weight category, showing a great ability to adapt to change.
Aleksandra Samardzic (-70 kg, Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Aleksandra Samardzic of Bosnia and Herzegovina is among the athletes who will be making their Olympic debut in Paris. Samardzic has had a good season and was able to capture her first Grand Prix medal in eight years, showing that hard work pays off.
Matthias Casse (-81 kg, Belgium)
In the -81 kg category, Matthias Casse of Belgium is one of the most decorated athletes and holds multiple European- World- and World Masters titles. The Belgian won a bronze medal at the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021 but has made it clear, what his objective for the Olympic Games in Paris is: To win the Olympic title.
Wachid Borchashvili (-81 kg, Austria)
Wachid Borchashvili will make his Olympic debut in Paris, where he will try to follow in the footsteps of Tokyo Olympic Games bronze medalist, Shamil Borchashvili. Borchashvili won a silver medal at the Grand Slam in Dushanbe and will be looking to upset the top players in the -81 kg category.
Attila Ungvari (-81 kg, Hungary)
35-years-old Attila Ungvari is one of the most experienced athletes in the field in the -81 kg category. The Hungarian has been on the World Tour for more than a decade and work closely together with his older brother, former athlete Miklos Ungvari. In 2023, Ungvari won the Grand Slam in Tashkent, which shows that he is still a medal candidate in the category.
Good luck to all our IPPONGEAR athletes! We are proud to stand behind you on the Olympic journey.
