With the IJF World Championships just around the corner, due to take place in Chelyabinsk, Russia, from August 25 to 31, the event has already garnered unprecedented levels of discussion via social media.

The hashtag for the annual showpiece of world judo, #WorldJudo2014, has been used thousands of times across platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, with the IJF giving athletes and fans alike that push to jump on board and join in with the discussions.

"Social media is a vital tool for us all year round and especially in the run up to and during the World Judo Championships which is our annual showpiece," Pickering told insidethegames.

"We have nearly half a million fans just on Facebook and this year fans can look forward to video highlights, spectacular pictures, real-time quotes and updates for all seven days of the competition.

"Social media is where judo fans and the friends and families of the athletes look first for information and we're excited to share the skills of the finest judoka in the world with our global fanbase."

The IJF have been really pushing social media in the build-up to this month's World Championships, which will take place inside the Sport Arena Traktor in Chelyabinsk, Russia ©IJF



This year's World Championships will be held inside the Sport Arena Traktor in the Russian city which staged the 2012 European Championships.

Social media is becoming a critical part of the way people communicate across the globe in modern times, with sport no exception.

As sports such as judo continue to push for more interaction online and over social media, scores of opportunities can open up for them, including increased participation and social buzz around events.

This element is key in pulling young athletes into sport and popularising a sport across the world.

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