The World Judo Tour returned to Abu Dhabi on Friday, launching the prestigious Grand Slam at the Mubadala Arena fresh off the World Championships and delivering historic first-time champions across multiple weight divisions.
Historic Breakthroughs on the Mubadala Arena Tatami
Friday's opening session at the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam brought immediate shifts in the international judo scene, featuring landmark victories for Azerbaijan and Bahrain alongside dominant performances from top-seeded athletes. In the women’s -48kg division, Türkiye’s Merve Azak faced Azerbaijan’s Konul Aliyeva in the final bout. Aliyeva secured a historic victory by capturing the first-ever women’s Grand Slam gold medal for Azerbaijan, with International Judo Federation President Marius Vizer awarding the medals.
Speed and Power in the Men’s Opening Bouts
In the men’s -60kg category, top seed Balabay Aghayev of Azerbaijan met 18-year-old Loiq Kudbudinov in the final. Aghayev demonstrated the speed and skill that made him the tournament favorite, scoring a dynamic ippon to claim the gold. International Judo Federation Vice President Dr. Laszlo Toth presented the medals. Reflecting on his victory, Aghayev noted his previous history at the venue, stating that he was happy to replace the bronze medal he won there in the past with gold.
Tactical Finals Shape the Lightweight Divisions
The -52kg final matched Olympic medalist Amandine Buchard against Croatia’s Tihea Topolovec. Topolovec secured an ingeniously executed waza-ari to claim her first Grand Slam gold medal, with IOC Member Balazs Fürjes handing out the hardware. Topolovec remarked that Abu Dhabi would now rank among her favorite cities after earning her first medal in the city. Meanwhile, the -57kg final saw Brazil’s Shirlen Nascimento face France’s Martha Fawaz. Fawaz earned two waza-ari scores—the first an opportune o-soto following a weak attack from Nascimento, and the second a driving o-uchi-gari across the tatami—to secure her second Grand Slam title, receiving her gold from IJF Vice President Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko.
Rankings Defied in the -66kg Category
In the -66kg division, Bahrain’s Sukhrob Boqiev reached his first World Judo Tour final against Iago Abuladze. Boqiev defied his world ranking of 277 to capture a surprise gold medal, with IJF Vice President Obaid Al Anzi presenting the medals. The home crowd also received a boost from the United Arab Emirates team, highlighted by a strong performance from Narmandakh Bayanmunkh on the opening day of competition.
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