Another medal for Ukraine: Bronze follows gold at Zagreb Grand Prix
Zagreb Grand Prix bronze medalist (Photo: IJF)
Ukrainian judoka Yevheniy Balyevskyy won a bronze medal at the Zagreb Grand Prix in the over-100kg weight category. The bronze medal bout did not take place because his opponent was injured.
Opponent's injury decides bronze medal
In the bronze medal contest, Balyevskyy was scheduled to face Azerbaijan's Ushangi Kokauri, the world No. 2 and silver medalist at the 2026 World Championships.
However, the Azerbaijani judoka withdrew from the bout due to injury. As a result, Balyevskyy was awarded the victory without having to step onto the tatami for the deciding contest.
Third Grand Prix bronze medal
This is already the third Grand Prix bronze medal for the 26-year-old Ukrainian.
In 2025, Balyevskyy reached the podium twice, at tournaments in Linz and Lima. In the same season, he won the European Open in La Nucia, Spain, and finished fifth at the European Championships in Podgorica.
In 2026, the judoka finished seventh at the Grand Prix Upper Austria and the Hungary Grand Slam.
In addition, in late October, Balyevskyy helped French club ACBB Judo win bronze at the European Judo Champions League for the first time in its history.
The Zagreb Grand Prix took place from November 13 to 15 and is part of the IJF World Judo Tour.
