Indian judokas likely to finish also-rans in Doha

Doha, Dec 1 (UNI) By all probabilty, it's going to be an excursion of sort for India's judokas who are likely to end up as also-rans at the 15th Asian Games in a discipline invented and dominated by the Japanese.

Indian judokas returned empty handed from the last Asian Games and history is likely to repeat itself, at least that's the impression one gets after a look at the formidable draw, teeming with best in the business from powerhouses like Japan, China and South Korea.

In the men's category, the Indian trio of Navjot Channa, Parvinder Singh and Anil Kumar stand no chance at all while their women counterparts Bambam Devi, Anita Chanu and Nirupama would require series of miracles to advance anywhere near the medal bracket.

Japan will be missing star judoka Keiji Suzuki in the 100kg category but the delegation has pinned its hopes on 19-year-old sensation Satoshi Ishii.

Besides, the Japanese are here with two of their lady judokas -- Masae Ueno (70kg) and Ayumi Tanimoto (63kg), both of whom are Athens Olympics gold medallists.

Japan won five of the eight men's judo golds at the Busan Asian Games but China and Korea won three apiece in women's events, where as the Japanese managed just two.

Indian tean: Men: Navjot Channa, Parvinder Singh, Anil Kumar Women: Bambam Devi, Anita Chanu, Nirupama UNI HSB AY PDS KP1859