Against the dramatic backdrop of the ancient Persian city of Dushanbe, judokas from four continents gathered this weekend for the 2025 Judo Grand Slam. Over three intense days of competition, athletes from around the world competed for glory, but it was host nation Tajikistan that stole the spotlight with a commanding performance. The country’s male judoka captured four gold medals, topping the medal table and igniting celebrations among the home crowd.

The Grand Slam, a major stop on the World Judo Tour, became a source of national pride as Tajik athletes claimed titles in the -66 kg, -73 kg, -81 kg, and +100 kg weight categories. Standout performances came from Nurali Emomali, Muhiddin Asadulloev, Somon Makhmadbekov, and Temur Rakhimov, whose victories marked a milestone in the country’s rise on the international judo stage.

Trailing Tajikistan in the medal standings were Azerbaijan, France, and Mongolia, each taking home two gold medals. China, Great Britain, Croatia, and the United Arab Emirates each collected one gold to complete the top tier of the table.

France’s Sarah Leonie, one of the sport’s most decorated athletes, made an early statement in the -57 kg category. After dispatching her Turkmen opponent in the second round, she faced Tajikistan’s Aleksandra Kan in front of a fervent home crowd. Leonie kept her composure and advanced to the final, where she outclassed Russian judoka Natalia Elkina, who competed under the IJF flag. It was another commanding performance from the Olympic and World Champion, adding yet another Grand Slam title to her name.

Watatabe, Piovesana, Bold, Auchecorne PIC:IJF

France’s success continued in the -52 kg division, where Amandine Buchard displayed her usual dominance and added another gold to the nation’s tally.

In the -63 kg category, French newcomer Melika Auchecorne delivered one of the tournament’s most unexpected performances. Making her senior debut, she fought her way to the final, impressing both fans and experts. There, she met Mongolian veteran Gankhaich Bold, who needed just 30 seconds to secure victory with an ippon. While Auchecorne had to settle for silver, her breakthrough showed she is a rising force in the sport.

The -70 kg final brought together Great Britain’s Kelly Peterson and Croatia’s Lara Cvjetko, after World Champion Margaux Piont was eliminated in an early upset. Cvjetko made the most of the opportunity and defeated Peterson to win her first Grand Slam gold medal, a landmark moment for the young Croatian.

Yuldoshev, Kapanadze, Makhmadbekov, Tsechoev PIC:IJF

Great Britain would not leave empty-handed. In the -78 kg division, Emma Reid emerged as the standout performer. With several top names eliminated early, Reid advanced to the final where she faced China’s Yuxiao Peng, ranked 107th in the world. Despite Peng’s impressive journey through the draw, Reid’s experience proved decisive as she captured gold in style.

Peng’s silver was one of the most remarkable results of the event, positioning her as one to watch in future competitions. China’s women’s squad continued its strong showing in the +78 kg category, where Chundi Jia won gold in an all-Chinese final against teammate Ye Liang.

Mongolia also confirmed its strength in the lighter categories. Anudari Jamsran captured gold in the -48 kg class while Gankhaich Bold, already victorious over Auchecorne, delivered another gold in the -63 kg division.

In the -100 kg category, Dzhafar Kostoev of the United Arab Emirates was among the gold medalists in Dushanbe, while in the -90 kg and -60 kg categories, Eljan Hajiyev and Balabay Aghayev both from Azerbaijan also stood at the top of the podium.