Paris GS 2026: What to Look Out For? (Part 2) / IJF.org

The Paris Grand Slam 2026 is fast approaching. Athlete registration is now closed and, while a few last-minute changes are always possible, we already have a clear picture of what to watch out for during the two days of high-level judo at the AccorArena in Paris Bercy. On the second day of competition, the seven remaining weight categories will take centre stage: -81 kg, -90 kg, -100 kg and +100 kg for the men and -70 kg, -78 kg and +78 kg for the women. Here is a closer look at the key storylines to follow on day two.

Zelim Tckaev (AZE) in action.

Men -81 kg: Redemption and Momentum

Top seed Zelim Tckaev (AZE) arrives in Paris with clear ambitions. A world medallist in Budapest last year, he is eager to bounce back after the disappointment of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where he finished outside the medals. Currently ranked fifth in the world, Tckaev will be keen to collect valuable points. His path will not be easy, however, with world champion Matthias Casse (BEL), bronze medallist at the Paris Grand Slam last year, also seeking to rediscover his very best form. Standing firmly in their way is Yuhei Oino (JPN), winner of the last two grand slams he entered, in Ulaanbaatar and Tokyo, a reference!

Lara Cvjetko (CRO).

Women -70 kg: Depth and European Firepower

Marie-Ève Gahié will compete in front of her home crowd and will be hoping to challenge for gold but despite being inside the top eight, she does not begin as the outright favourite. That role belongs to Lara Cvjetko (CRO), named Croatian Olympic Committee Athlete of the Year in 2025. Behind her, a tightly packed group of European contenders is ready to fight for podium places: Szofi Ozbas (HUN), Miriam Butkereit (GER), Ai Tsunoda Roustant (ESP), Elisavet Teltsidou (GRE), Irene Pedrotti (ITA) and Gahié herself. With the first non-European athlete appearing only outside the top twelve, competition in this category will be fierce.

Goki Tajima (JPN) in action.

Men -90 kg: Experience Versus Hunger

Despite losing two recent finals, at the Budapest World Championships last year and the Tokyo Grand Slam in December, Goki Tajima (JPN) remains the man to beat. World champion in Doha in 2023, Luka Maisuradze (GEO) looks like his most serious challenger on paper but Paris has often been kind to others too. Olympic bronze medallist Theodoros Tselidis (GRE), renowned for his low and precise o-uchi-gari combined with a shoulder movement, and France’s Maxime-Gaël Ngayap Hambou, determined to shine again in front of his home crowd, will both be aiming for a share of the honours.

Patricia Sampaio (POR) in action.

Women -78 kg: A Category of Champions

Without doubt one of the most spectacular and competitive categories on the circuit. World and Olympic medallist and current world number one Patricia Sampaio (POR) leads the field, followed by world medallist and three-time grand slam winner Anna Monta Olek (GER), and reigning world and Olympic champion Alice Bellandi (ITA). Add to that Kurena Ikeda (JPN), Emma Reid (GBR), Alina Boehm (GER) and another world champion Inbar Lanir (ISR), and the picture is already impressive. Outside the top eight, a certain Audrey Tcheuméo (FRA) awaits. World champion in 2011, already 15 years ago, double individual Olympic medallist, 42 medals on the WJT and six Paris Grand Slam victories; even unseeded, she could still turn everything upside down.

Dota Arai (JPN) in action.

Men -100 kg: Chasing Gold

Dota Arai (JPN) arrives in Paris determined to convert recent silver medals, at the 2025 World Championships and Tokyo Grand Slam, into gold. Already a two-time grand slam winner, he knows how to finish at the top. Olympic champion Zelim Kotsoiev (AZE), who triumphed in Guadalajara in 2025, will also be targeting gold in a city that brought him great success in 2024. Leonardo Gonçalves (BRA) and Anton Savytskiy (UKR), both inside the world top ten, could play the roles of dangerous outsiders, while surprises are never far away in this weight category.

Hyeonji Lee (KOR) in action.

Women +78 kg: The Arena Will Erupt

The AccorArena will be electric as local favourite Romane Dicko (FRA) steps onto the tatami. Yet she will not stand alone; remarkably, the top six seeds are also the top six athletes in the world ranking. Leading the draw is teenager Hyeonji Lee (KOR), followed by Dicko, then reigning world champion Hayun Kim (KOR). World and Olympic medallist Raz Hershko (ISR), France’s Léa Fontaine and Croatia’s Helena Vukovic complete an extraordinary group. Rarely has a heavyweight women’s category looked so competitive from top to bottom.

Hyoga Ota (JPN) in action.

Men +100 kg: A Heavyweight Finale

The final category of the weekend promises power, drama and spectacle. Hyoga Ota (JPN) will be eager to improve on his silver medal from Tokyo in December. World champion Minjong Kim (KOR), crowned in Abu Dhabi in 2024, will look to do better than his fifth-place finish at the end of 2025. Regular podium finisher Ushangi Kokauri (AZE), still chasing his first grand slam gold, is a serious contender, while former world champion Andy Granda (CUB), with his explosive style, could once again make a statement. One thing is guaranteed: the Paris Grand Slam 2026 will end with a heavyweight showdown worthy of the occasion.

The second day of the Paris Grand Slam 2026 promises extraordinary density, with world and Olympic medallists everywhere you look and hungry challengers ready to push the established order. Follow us across all platforms and on JudoTV.com, we promise a spectacular conclusion to a remarkable weekend of judo.