Asian judoka have made a strong impression at the inaugural Ecole Mont-Olivet Lausanne Grand Slam 2026, with athletes from Japan, the Republic of Korea, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, China and other Asian nations featuring prominently across the opening days of competition in Switzerland.
The event, held from 28 to 30 August at the Vaudoise Arena in Lausanne, marks the first time Switzerland has hosted an IJF Grand Slam. More than 500 judoka from over 70 nations entered the World Judo Tour event, making it an important international test ahead of the next phase of the 2026 season.
Asian athletes were immediately among the headline performers.
In the men’s -60 kg category, Japan’s Yamato Fukuda captured gold after defeating experienced Korean judoka Lee Harim in an all-Asian final. Fukuda, only 20 years old, entered Lausanne as a two-time junior world champion and continued his successful transition to senior competition with an emphatic performance.
Lee, a multiple world medallist, took silver, while Samariddin Kuchkarov of Uzbekistan secured one of the bronze medals. Kazakhstan’s Sherzod Davlatov finished fifth.
Japan’s depth was even more evident in the -66 kg category, where Kairi Kentoku and Shinsei Hattori progressed through opposite sides of the draw to produce an all-Japanese final.
Following a tightly contested match that extended into golden score, Kentoku delivered a decisive uchi-mata for ippon to claim his first Grand Slam title, with Hattori taking silver. Both athletes are 22 years old and represent an emerging generation within Japan’s highly competitive lightweight programme.
China also reached the podium during the opening day, with Hui Xinran earning bronze in the women’s -48 kg category, adding another Asian medal to the early results in Lausanne.
The Asian presence continued on the second day.
The men’s -81 kg final was contested entirely by athletes from Asia, with Abylaikhan Zhubanazar of Kazakhstan facing Arslonbek Tojiev of Uzbekistan. Zhubanazar secured the title with a well-timed de-ashi-harai for yuko in the closing stages of the contest.
The result added Grand Slam gold to a strong season for Zhubanazar, who had already collected bronze medals at the Paris Grand Slam and Asian Championships earlier in 2026.
Asian athletes were also prominent at -73 kg, where Muhiddin Asadulloev of Tajikistan captured bronze.
The performances in Lausanne demonstrate once again the depth and diversity of judo across Asia. From Japan and the Republic of Korea in East Asia to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan in Central Asia, judoka from across the continent continue to play leading roles on the IJF World Judo Tour.
For the Judo Union of Asia, these results are particularly encouraging as preparations continue toward major international and continental competitions later in the season.
Source and Photos: International Judo Federation (IJF)