The fourth edition of the Upper Austria Grand Prix has concluded in Linz after three days of competition at the Tips Arena, one of the stops on the International Judo Federation World Judo Tour -IJF-. The tournament brought together judokas from numerous countries during a weekend marked by an international atmosphere and a broad distribution of medals across different categories.

Before the final block of medal contests, a total of 19 countries had already reached the podium in Linz, highlighting the diversity of judo on the international circuit. That trend continued through the final day of competition, with medals ultimately shared among nations from several continents.

Africa celebrates Guinea’s first gold

Japan took the lead in the medal table from the opening day after winning three gold medals. That result allowed the Japanese delegation to remain at the top of the standings throughout the tournament. The event also produced several notable performances across different weight categories. In the men’s heavyweight division, the early elimination of top seed Guram Tushishvili, an Olympic and world medallist, opened the draw to new contenders. Among them was Ibrahim Tataroglu of Turkey, who progressed to the final and secured his first gold medal on the World Judo Tour after defeating Jur Spijkers of the Netherlands.

Another of the tournament’s featured finals brought together two generations of Georgian judo in the -81 kg category. Three-time world champion Tato Grigalashvili defeated his compatriot Luka Javakhishvili, the junior world champion, in a contest that reflected the generational transition within one of the most competitive national teams on the circuit. Other categories also saw victories from established figures on the international tour, including Raz Hershko, who took gold in the women’s competition, and Anton Savytskiy of Ukraine, who once again reached a final on the circuit.

Among the most notable stories of the tournament was the victory of Marie Branser, who secured the first gold medal for Guinea on the World Judo Tour. After the medal ceremony, the judoka, who has competed on the international circuit for more than a decade, reflected on the significance of the achievement: “Today, this International Women’s Day, is a special day for all of us but this medal shows there is hope in sport for all young African girls and so it’s even more special.” The result was also welcomed by the African Judo Union -AJU-.

Polleres returns to competition with a medal in Linz

The crowd in Linz also celebrated a home victory as Michaela Polleres claimed gold in front of her local supporters at the Tips Arena. After the final, the Austrian judoka spoke about the atmosphere inside the arena: “The atmosphere in the hall was incredible; they were chanting my name. My family, my friends and many colleagues from our club were there. It’s very special to win in front of your home crowd, especially after the long break. I struggled in the first fight, but then it got better and better. In the final, I was very well prepared.”

Yvonne Snir-Bönisch, head coach of the Austrian Judo Federation, also commented on her performance: “It’s impressive how well Michi fought today. It’s only her third tournament after more than a year’s break from competition. Only an exceptional athlete like Michi can do that. Congratulations!”

The World Judo Tour continues in Georgia

With the conclusion of the fourth edition of the event, the International Judo Federation -IJF- and the Austrian Judo Federation thanked the local organisers and the team of volunteers who supported the tournament throughout the three days of competition in Linz.

Following the stop in Austria, the international circuit of the International Judo Federation World Judo Tour -IJF- now moves to the Tbilisi Grand Slam in Georgia, another key event on the global calendar. Full results, statistics and interviews from the Upper Austria Grand Prix are available on the official platform JudoTV.