Abylaikhan Zhubanazar (KAZ) and Arslonbek Tojiev (UZB) faced each other in the -81 kg final. Zhubanazar, ranked 22nd in the world, had already won bronze at the Paris Grand Slam and Asian Championships earlier this season, following another grand slam bronze medal on home soil at the Qazaqstan Barysy Grand Slam in 2025.
Final, Abylaikhan Zhubanazar (KAZ) vs Arslonbek Tojiev (UZB).
Tojiev, ranked 34th in the world, had produced an excellent day to reach the final. He won silver at the Tashkent Grand Slam in 2025 and bronze at the Asian Championships the same year, before taking fifth place at both the 2025 World Championships and the 2026 Tashkent Grand Slam.
Gold medallist, Abylaikhan Zhubanazar (KAZ).
The final remained undecided for a long time, with each judoka receiving just a shido. Then, in the closing moments, Abylaikhan Zhubanazar found the smallest of openings and seized it with a superbly timed de-ashi-harai for the decisive, golden yuko.
The -81 kg winner was happy to speak about his day, “Winning my first grand slam gold is an incredible feeling; I’m truly happy. I feel a light, wonderful emotion that I’ve been waiting for and I’m deeply grateful for all the support. Standing at the top of the podium with our anthem playing gives me immense confidence. I can feel the warmth and passionate backing of all our fans and people back at home in Kazakhstan, which means everything to me. Now, the next step is returning home for a training camp to prepare for the World Championships in Baku. Carrying this confidence forward, we hope to show another great performance there.”
Bronze medal contest, Aurelien Bonferroni (SUI) vs Gabriel Falcao (BRA).
Aurélien Bonferroni (SUI) contested the first bronze medal fight against Gabriel Falcao (BRA), with the Swiss judoka seeking to reach the podium in front of his home supporters. What his teammate had narrowly failed to achieve earlier in the final block, Bonferroni delivered to the delight of the arena. It was also the Geneva judoka’s first grand slam medal, earned after a day in which he had been driven by a special, and above all effective, energy.
Bronze medal contest, Omar Rajabli (AZE) vs Georgii Elbakiev (UAE).
Omar Rajabli (AZE) and Georgii Elbakiev (UAE) met in the second contest for bronze. Thanks to an early waza-ari and sound tactical control thereafter, Omar Rajabli secured his place on the podium.
Medals, cheques and presents were presented by Mr Mustapha Berraf, President of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa and IOC Member, and Mr Udo Quellmalz, Olympic and Double World Champion.
Bronze Medal Fights (-81 kg)
