Eight teams will participate in the Russian President's Fourth Judo Cup with a record prize fund of $250,000. The tournament is held on Saturday, November 29, in St. Petersburg.

The National Judo Union, which participated, along with the European Judo Union and the Yavara-Neva judo club foundation in the preparation of the current tournament, invited teams from Japan, Germany, Scandinavian and Baltic countries, Ukraine, Belarus and Italy to St. Petersburg. Russia will be represented by the winner of the 2000 and 2002 President's Cup, two-time winner of the European Cup, Yavara-Neva judo club from St. Petersburg.

The Russian team includes such well-known judo masters as two-time world champion Alexander Mikhailin, world champion Vitaly Makarov, five-time European champion, finalist of world championships and 2000 Olympic Games Tamerlan Tmenov, European champion, finalist of Sydney Games Yuri Stepkin, finalist of the world championship Magomed Jafarov and others.

Two teams will compete for the President's Cup 2003 - the winner of the CIS Cup, contested by teams from Belarus, Baltic countries, Russia and Ukraine, and the winner of the tournament among the best world teams - from Japan, Germany, Scandinavian countries and Italy.

The first such tournament was held in December 2000 in Magnitogorsk. It was a unique event in terms of its significance for the world of sports, its political importance (for the first time in the history of judo the competition received support from the head of state), and economic importance (never before a judo competition had such a large prize fund). RF President Vladimir Putin was a guest of honor at the first tournament. He presented the Grand Prix to the winner of the tournament - Yavara-Neva judo club from St. Petersburg.

News source: http://newsfromrussia.com
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