By Duncan Mackay at the Grand Hotel Vidgof in Chelyabinsk

The Chelyabinsk meteor will feature on the medals awarded at the World Judo Championships ©World Judo Championships 2014 ChelyabinskWinners at this year's World Judo Championships, due to start here tomorrow, will receive a medal decorated with the Chelyabinsk meteor.


This Russian city, located east of the Ural Mountains, was previously best known as being one of the country's most important industrial centres, famed for its production of tanks and tractors. 

But in February last year it attracted worldwide attention when a superbolide meteor descended at over 55,000 kilometers per hour over the Ural Mountains, exploding at an altitude of 25-30 kilometers in a momentary flash as bright as the sun and generating a shock wave that injured over a thousand people, fortunately none of them seriously. 

Fragments of the meteor, estimated 17 metres diameter with a mass of more than 10,000 tonnes, 
fell in and around Chelyabinsk

The power of the explosion was about 500 kilotons of TNT, which is 20-30 times more energy than was released from the atomic bomb exploded in Hiroshima.

Only thanks to the high altitude of the explosion managed to avoid large casualties and destruction, scientists claimed.

The Chelyabinsk meteor made worldwide headlines in February 2013 ©AFP/Getty ImagesThe Chelyabinsk meteor made worldwide headlines in February 2013 ©AFP/Getty Images

The incident will now be celebrated in the medals and cups for the team events produced for the World Judo Championships by the Zlatoust Arms Company. 

Chelyabinsk hosted a widely-acclaimed European Championships in 2012 and appears to be on course for repeating success this year.

Tickets have already sold out for the seven-day event at the new state-of-the-art $75 million (£45 million/€57 million) Traktor Sport Arena, home of the local ice hockey team who play in the Kontinental Hockey League.

Such is the interest in the event that a fan park has been set-up with a big screen to broadcast the event to supporters who have been unable to obtain a ticket. 

"The 2014 World Championships in Chelyabinsk is the most important event in the Russian judo history," said Vasily Anisimov, President of the Russian Judo Federation.

"The great sports country, the USSR [Soviet Union] and Russia, hosted the World tournament only twice, in 1983, Moscow and in 2011, Tyumen.

"There is no doubt that the 2014 World Championships will make history as one of the best in all aspects.

"Chelyabinsk is one of the most sporting cities in Russia: one out of three residents does physical exercises or sports.

"Judo is a leading sport with an array of champions."

International Judo Federation President Marius Vizer is looking forward to a successful World Championships in Chelyabinsk following news the event is already a sell-out ©IJFInternational Judo Federation President Marius Vizer is looking forward to a successful World Championships in Chelyabinsk following news the event is already a sell-out ©IJF

More than 800 volunteers have been recruited to help make the Championships a success.

"I want to congratulate the organisers for the level of organisation and I wish all of you a successful World Championships," said International Judo Federation President Marius Vizer at the draw today.

"The event will deliver very high level solidarity, unit and respect for Russia which continues to be a leader in judo."

A total of 639 competitors from 110 countries are due to take part in this year's event, which will open tomorrow with the lightest categories, the under 60 kilogram in the men's and under 48kg in the women's.

In the women's event, Brazil's Olympic champion Sarah Menezes will be looking to put the disappointment of last year behind her when she could win only a bronze medal at the World Championships in Rio de Janeiro.

Mongolia's Urantsetseg Munkhbat triumphed on that occasion to become her country's first-ever female champion.

Menezes will be feeling confident having already topped the podium in Russia this year, winning gold in July at the Tyumen Grand Slam.

But Munkhbat had won the Ulaanbaatar Grand Prix a week earlier so remains a serious threat. 

Japan's Naohisa Takato will be favourite to defend his under 60kg world title having gone unbeaten for two years, including winning at last year's Championships in Rio de Janeiro ©Getty ImagesJapan's Naohisa Takato will be favourite to defend his under 60kg world title having gone unbeaten for two years, including winning at last year's Championships in Rio de Janeiro ©Getty Images

In the men's under 60kg, Japan's Naohisa Takato will be defending his two-year unbeaten record, which 12 months ago included winning his country's first lightweight men's World Championship gold medallist for 16 years. 

The task of the 21-year-old has been made easier by Russia's decision to leave out Olympic gold medallist Arsen Galstyan following a poor run of form, in favour of Beslan Mudranov.

Mudranov is a double European champion, including winning here in 2012. 

Watch the latest action on Judo TV here.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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