Fourteen seconds on the clock and zero medals in reach left Croatia empty-handed as the Zagreb Grand Prix 2026 opened with five preliminary exits on Friday, Nov. 13, at Arena Zagreb.
Karlobag.eu reported that the opening day of the 16th edition of the tournament finished without a single host-nation representative advancing to the evening medal blocks. Out of five Croatian judoka who stepped onto the tatami for the morning elimination rounds, only one secured a victory.
Dani Klačar provided the lone bright spot for the host team by winning his opening match in the men’s 66 kg division. The rest of the Croatian delegation—featuring prominent names such as Ana Viktorija Puljiz and Tihea Topolovec—bowed out before the final block began at 5:00 p.m. local time.
The tournament marks the final Grand Prix stop on the International Judo Federation’s World Judo Tour calendar for 2026. A total of 462 competitors from 66 countries and six continents traveled to Croatia’s capital for the three-day event.
Puljiz Exits Early After Loss to Flaka Loxha
Expectations centered heavily on Ana Viktorija Puljiz of JK Solin, who captured a bronze medal at the 2026 World Championships in Baku. Competing in the 57 kg category, Puljiz reached the round of 16 before Kosovo’s Flaka Loxha eliminated her.
“We will analyze these performances to see what was missing for a better result,” Dragan Crnov, head coach of the Croatian women’s national team, told Karlobag.eu regarding the early exits.
Loxha finished seventh in the bracket, while Brazil’s Shirlen Nascimento claimed the gold medal. Israel’s Inbal Shemesh took silver, and Spain’s Marta Garcia Martin and Adriana Rodriguez Salvador shared the bronze medals.
Tihea Topolovec of AJK Mladost entered the 52 kg division following a victory at the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam in late October. Her tournament ended in the opening round against Azerbaijan’s Gultaj Mammadaliyeva.
Klačar Carries the Host Nation
Dani Klačar of JK Istarski borac delivered Croatia’s only win of the day in the 66 kg category by defeating Mexico’s Robin Jara. He fell in his next bout to Brazil’s Ronald Lima.
“He stood close to victory in his second match, but he did not perform at his true capability,” Dean Ilić, Klačar’s coach, told Karlobag.eu. Ilić pointed to a viral illness from the previous week as a factor hindering his fighter’s progress.
Roko Rozga of JK Kaštela and Kristian Butući of JK Black Belt also exited the 66 kg tournament early. Rozga dropped his opening match to Brazil’s Lima, while Butući lost to Narmandakh Bayanmunkh representing the United Arab Emirates.
International Winners on Day One
Foreign competitors dominated the opening five weight classes as 276 men and 186 women battled through the morning preliminaries. Kazakhstan’s Nurkanat Serikbayev captured gold in the men’s 66 kg division, with Lima taking silver.
In the men’s 60 kg class, Yung Wei Yang of Chinese Taipei secured the gold medal ahead of Kazakhstan’s Aman Bakytzhan. Italy’s Assunta Scutto triumphed in the women’s 48 kg category.
Hungary’s Rozi Gyertyas claimed the 52 kg title, defeating the field while Mammadaliyeva earned a bronze medal. The competition continues through Sunday at Arena Zagreb with live broadcasts on HTV 2.
Saturday Tatami Schedule
Croatian athletes return to competition on Saturday, Nov. 14, with preliminary matches starting at 9:45 a.m. local time (UTC+1). The official opening ceremony is scheduled for 4:15 p.m., followed by the final block at 5:00 p.m.
Iva Oberan, Nina Cvjetko, and Nina Simić compete in the 63 kg division. Lara Cvjetko, Marta Voraček, and Anđela Violić represent the host nation in the 70 kg category.
The men’s schedule features Nikola Zorotović, Robert Klačar, and Luka Katić in the 73 kg bracket. Ante Ivan Begić and Luka Zorotović take on the 81 kg field.
