Abu Dhabi Grand Slam 2026 concludes with historic victories

The 2026 Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Judo competition concluded at the Mubadala Arena, featuring several historic achievements across various weight categories.

In the women’s -57kg category, France’s Martha Fawaz secured her second Grand Slam title by defeating Brazil’s Shirlen Nascimento. In the -48kg division, Azerbaijan’s Konul Aliyeva achieved the first-ever women’s Grand Slam gold medal for her country. Other notable winners included Morocco’s Hassan Doukkali in the -73kg category and Moldova’s Petru Pelivan in the -81kg category.

The final day saw significant performances in the heavier divisions. Bulgaria’s Ivaylo Ivanov claimed his second Grand Slam title in the -90kg category. Representing the host nation, UAE’s Yelyzaveta Lytvynenko won gold in the -78kg category following her recent world championship title. In the -100kg category, Russia’s Idar Bifov defeated France’s Aurélien Diesse, while Croatia’s Helena Vukovic took gold in the +78kg division.