The Paris Judo Grand Slam took place on February 7–8 at a sold-out Accor Arena, drawing more than 20,000 spectators to one of the sport’s most prestigious annual events.
Held under the auspices of the International Judo Federation (IJF) as a flagship stop on the IJF World Tour, the competition carried significant world-ranking points early in the qualification cycle for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. Nearly 500 athletes from 78 countries participated.
While Japan and France dominated the medal table at the Paris Judo Grand Slam, the tournament also underscored a quieter but enduring force in international judo: the sustained competitive influence of Central Asia and the South Caucasus.
Japan topped the medal table with gold medals from Takeshi Takeoka (–66 kg), Yuhei Oino (–81 kg), Goki Tajima (–90 kg), and Dota Arai (–100 kg). France secured three home victories through Shirine Boukli (–48 kg), Sarah-Léonie Cysique (–57 kg), and Romane Dicko (+78 kg).
The remaining titles reflected the tournament’s global reach. Balabay Aghayev delivered gold for Azerbaijan at –60 kg, Distria Krasniqi won –52 kg for Kosovo, Rafaela Silva captured –63 kg for Brazil, Makhmadbek Makhmadbekov claimed the –73 kg title representing the United Arab Emirates, and Szofi Özbas secured the –70 kg title for Hungary, according to official IJF results.
While Azerbaijan is geographically part of the South Caucasus, its Turkic cultural ties, Soviet-era sporting systems, and shared wrestling traditions closely align with Central Asia’s judo landscape. Aghayev’s gold for Azerbaijan, alongside Makhmadbekov’s –73 kg victory, highlighted transnational athlete pathways rooted in a common Eurasian combat sports tradition.
Makhmadbekov—an ethnically Tajik judoka born in Russia—has represented the United Arab Emirates in international competition since 2024, reflecting the increasingly transnational nature of elite judo careers.
73 kg Final: Makhmadbek Makhmadbekov (United Arab Emirates) vs. Manuel Lombardo (Italy); image: Tamara Kulumbegashvili
Kazakhstan’s national judo team reinforced that regional presence by concluding the Paris Grand Slam with three bronze medals, one of its strongest results in the tournament’s history. Aman Bakhytzhan reached the podium in the –60 kg division, while Abylaikhan Zhubanazar (–81 kg) and Nurlykhan Sharkhan (–100 kg) added further medals on the second day.
60 kg Final: Balabay Aghayev (Azerbaijan) vs. Dilshot Khalmatov (Uzbekistan); image: Tamara Kulumbegashvili
Martial arts occupy a distinctive place across Central Asia and Azerbaijan, where indigenous wrestling traditions long predate modern Olympic disciplines. Styles such as kurash in Uzbekistan, kazakh kuresi in Kazakhstan, and gushtingiri in Azerbaijan, alongside their more traditional forms such as gulesh and zorkhana-influenced pekhlivan wrestling, emphasize balance, explosive throws, and physical control. These attributes remain clearly visible in contemporary judo.
These traditions continue to be showcased at events such as the World Nomad Games and regional festivals across Central Asia and the Caspian region. They were further refined during the Soviet era, which institutionalized sports and established the region as a major development base for elite combat athletes.
Since gaining their independence, Central Asian countries, as well as Azerbaijan, have continued to produce high-level judoka, with shared coaching lineages and training systems consistently feeding the top tiers of international competition. Olympic champions such as Yeldos Smetov from Kazakhstan, Diyora Keldiyorova from Uzbekistan, and Elnur Mammadli from Azerbaijan, alongside long-time world-level contenders including Abiba Abuzhakynova, point to the region’s sustained presence at the sport’s highest level—a pattern previously noted by The Times of Central Asia during its coverage of the Paris 2024 Olympic cycle.
That influence extends beyond the competitors themselves. Following the conclusion of the opening-day contests in Paris, Timur Kemell, a member of the official International Judo Federation (IJF) ceremony delegation of Kazakh origin, took part in presenting the medals. Kemell has been active in regional and international judo governance and development, participating in events organized under the auspices of the IJF.
Day 1 Medal Ceremony: Timur Kemell, Dilshot Khalmatov, Balabay Aghayev, Izhak Ashpiz, Aman Bakhytzhan, and David Inquel at the Paris Judo Grand Slam; image: International Judo Federation (IJF)
The Paris Judo Grand Slam was officially opened by the International Judo Federation, with Marius Vizer, President of the IJF, and Stéphane Nomis, IJF Vice President and President of the French Judo Federation, leading the ceremony. Award presentations throughout the event also featured figures from sport and culture, including David Inquel, Albano Carrisi, Corinne Virulo-Cucchiara, Igor Tulchinsky, and Erika Merion, underscoring the tournament’s institutional and international stature.
At the Paris Judo Grand Slam, Eurasia’s role was not defined by flag dominance or overall medal totals, but by something more enduring: a deeply rooted martial-arts culture that continues to shape the technical and competitive foundations of international judo on one of the sport’s most visible global stages.
