Judo showed its global reach at the start of May, with competitions taking place at the same time across four continents. Events were held in Guayaquil, Dushanbe, Tbilisi, Mandurah and Istanbul, bringing together athletes from all over the world and showing how much the sport is growing internationally.
There was a wide range of events, including the Dushanbe Grand Slam, the Tbilisi Cadet European Cup, the Istanbul Junior European Cup, the Mandurah Open Cup, and the Pan American Cup in Ecuador. These competitions included athletes of different ages and levels, showing the strength and depth of judo worldwide.
The Dushanbe Grand Slam was the main top-level event of the weekend. Russia and Tajikistan both won three gold medals, but Russia finished first overall with more silver and bronze medals. Tajikistan came second, while Mongolia finished third ahead of Poland.
A total of 34 countries took part in Dushanbe, although Japan was not present. Iran also returned to international competition after a long break, with three athletes competing.
Other events also showed how popular the sport is. In Tbilisi, 362 young judoka from 17 countries took part, while Istanbul hosted 502 junior athletes from 27 nations. Together with events in Australia and Ecuador, this showed strong global participation.
At the opening ceremony in Dushanbe, the President of the Tajikistan Judo Federation, Ismoil Mahmadzoir, spoke about the importance of government support in developing sport in the country. He praised President Emomali Rahmon for encouraging healthy lifestyles and helping athletes improve through national programmes.
Louisa Galea, speaking on behalf of the International Judo Federation, praised how well the event was organised. She said Tajikistan has made clear progress in developing the sport and hosting international competitions. She also noted that hosting the 2026 World Judo Masters shows the country’s growing importance in judo.
With five cities hosting major events at the same time, this weekend clearly showed how strong and well organised judo is around the world. It also confirmed its place as one of the most widely practised combat sports.
