Spain kicked off its campaign at the Paralympic Judo World Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia, with two bronze medals secured on the opening day of competition. María Manzanero and Sergio Ibáñez climbed the podium in their respective categories during the tournament, which runs through Sunday, Sept. 27, according to the Spanish Paralympic Committee.
Manzanero Claims First World Medal in Total Blindness Division
María Manzanero opened the medal count for the Spanish delegation in the J1 -52 kg category, a division designated for judokas with total blindness. The 22-year-old from Madrid advanced through the preliminary rounds to reach the semifinals. After missing out on a spot in the gold medal match, she faced Canada’s Priscilla Gagné in the bronze-medal bout.
A yuko score provided the decisive advantage for Manzanero, who maintained her lead through the full three minutes of regulation time to secure her first career medal at a World Championship. The result marks another milestone in Manzanero’s return to top-tier competition following a lengthy absence caused by a torn cruciate ligament.
Just over a month prior to arriving in Tbilisi, Manzanero claimed the European title in Heidelberg, Germany. Since returning from knee surgery, she has earned three medals on the international circuit before adding her first global podium finish in Georgia.
Ibáñez Returns to Global Podium After Major Knee Surgery
Roughly an hour after Manzanero’s success, Sergio Ibáñez captured Spain’s second bronze medal of the day in the J2 -70 kg class. Following a demanding morning of preliminary matches, the Aragonese judoka faced Japan’s Sakurai in the third-place playoff.
Ibáñez secured the victory by ippon, sealing the bronze and returning to the podium at a major international event. The performance highlights the competitor’s ongoing recovery following physical setbacks and subsequent surgery after the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
Ibáñez, who won silver at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, returned to competition a year ago at the Giza Grand Prix with a bronze finish. He added another bronze at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix earlier this year before joining Manzanero as a European champion in Heidelberg.
Spaniards Competing on Opening Day in Tbilisi
Four other Spanish representatives competed during the opening day of the Tbilisi world championships but missed out on the podium. In the J2 -60 kg category, Marta Arce and young competitor Elsa Lukun Hernández in the J1 -52 kg division were eliminated following preliminary bouts and repechage matches.
Omar Tohuami in the J1 -70 kg class and Norberto Tuñón in the J1 -81 kg division also represented the Spanish team on opening day, though neither advanced past the initial knockout rounds.
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