BAKU: Karim Abdulaev, a member of the UAE National Judo Team, is set to kick off his participation in the Baku Grand Slam 2024 starting tomorrow.

Taking place from 16th to 18th February in Baku, Azerbaijan, the tournament is organised under the supervision of the International Judo Federation, with 407 participants from 64 nations, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain.

Representing the UAE, Abdulaev and Batsukh Altantsetseg will compete in the event.

Abdulaev is scheduled to compete in the preliminary round of the Under-73 kilogram (kg) weight class against Hristov Mark, the promising Bulgarian champion, in the middleweight category, which features 39 contenders.

The total prize pool for the tournament amounts to pound 154,000, and it provides valuable qualification points for the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.

In today’s opening matches, Altantsetseg faced defeat against Christa Deguchi, the top-ranked Canadian athlete worldwide, who is a strong contender for the championship in her weight division
. This category includes 32 participants, including top qualifiers and titleholders preparing for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Source: Emirates News Agency