World Judo Grand Prix to be held in China

Over 200 jodokas from 21 countries and regions will attend the World Judo Grand Prix from Nov. 19-21 in Qingdao, a coastal city of eastern China, organizers said Tuesday.

The jodokas will compete in seven categories for men and women in three days, said Li Lei, director of Qingdao Sports Race Administration Center.

The preliminary competitions will kick off every 10 a.m. and the semifinals and finals will start every 5 p.m., Li said.

As an integral match for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, this Grand Prix will attract the most talented judokas all over the world, said Xu Dianping, an official of the Chinese Judo Association.

Including world champion Yu Song and the 2014 Incheon Asian Games gold winner Ma Sisi, 56 Chinese judokas will try to get more credits for the coming Olympic Games in the Grand Prix, Xu said.

To get judo more popularized in China, the three-day World Judo Grand Prix will be free for all audiences, Li Lei said.

Authorized by the International Judo Federation, the first World Judo Grand Prix in Qingdao was held in 2009.