The Judo Grand Prix Lima 2026 officially commenced on Friday, August 14, at the Polideportivo 3 de la VIDENA in San Luis, bringing together 350 judocas from 60 countries, according to reports from local sports journalism. Organized by the Federación Deportiva Peruana de Judo (FDPJ), the international tournament serves as a crucial qualification stop for athletes looking to secure ranking points ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
“El objetivo es sumar puntos en el ranking para clasificar a los Juegos Olímpicos Los Angeles 2028 y que nuestros judocas puedan enfrentarse a los mejores del mundo y buscar triunfos para el Perú,” stated FDPJ president María Martínez Murciego regarding the scope and ambition of the event.
Opening Day Highlights and Historic Upsets in San Luis
Local competitor Franco Baltazar delivered what organizers and media outlets characterized as a stunning and historic result in the men’s -66kg division. Baltazar defeated reigning Paris 2024 Olympic silver medalist William Lima of Brazil by ippon, igniting loud celebrations from the packed grandstands at the VIDENA.
In the women’s -52kg category, Brillith Gamarra opened her campaign with a hard-fought 1–0 victory over South Korea’s Poseo Yang, looking to replicate her strong performance from the previous year’s Grand Prix held at the Coliseo Dibós. Fellow Peruvian competitor Driulys Rivas added to the host nation’s early momentum by defeating Spain’s Laura Games in the same weight class.
Competition Schedule and Weight Class Breakdown
Women contested the -48kg, -52kg, and -57kg categories, while men competed in the -60kg and -66kg brackets.
The tournament continues on Saturday, August 15, with matches scheduled for the -63kg and -70kg divisions for women, alongside the -73kg and -81kg categories for men. The three-day event concludes on Sunday, August 16, featuring the remaining weight classes: -78kg and +78kg for women, and -90kg, -100kg, and +100kg for men.
Host Nation Squad Representation
The Peruvian delegation features Carla León Bocanegra and Bianca Gonzales in the -48kg division; Brillith Gamarra Carbajal and Driulys Rivas Bocanegra in the -52kg class; Marian Flores Arrese at -57kg; Xsara Morales Falconi at -70kg; and Camila Figueroa Aquino at -78kg.
On the men’s side, the squad includes Arnold Prado (-60kg); Gabriel Herrera, Franco Baltazar Miñán, and Mateo Condor Cornejo (-66kg); Alonso Wong Albujar and Jonas Guanipa (-73kg); Javier Saavedra Bobadilla and Valentino Flores (-81kg); Yuta Galarreta Villar (-90kg); Daryl Yamamoto Serván (-100kg); and Jefferson Sedano (+100kg).
Worth a look
