Ukrainian judoka Yevhen Balesky claimed the bronze medal at the Zagreb Grand Prix in the over 100 kg weight category. The tournament, held from November 13 to 15 as part of the international IJF World Judo Tour series, brought the Ukrainian national team its second medal, following Savitsky’s gold earlier in the under 100 kg category. Thus, the Ukrainian team wrapped up its performance at the Croatian leg with two medals.
Bronze Without Stepping Onto the Tatami
The bout for third place, in which Balesky was scheduled to face Azerbaijan's Ushangi Kokauri—the world's number two ranking and 2026 World Championship silver medalist—never took place. The Ukrainian's opponent withdrew from the match due to an injury, resulting in Balesky being awarded the victory without stepping onto the tatami in the decisive encounter. Formally, this deprived the bout of its sporting intrigue, but it did not change the outcome: the 26-year-old judoka secured the tournament's bronze medal.
Third Grand Prix Bronze in the Series
For Balesky, this medal marks his third bronze in Grand Prix competitions. During the 2025 season, he twice climbed the podium at tournaments in Linz and Lima. That same year, the judoka won the European Open in La Nucia, Spain, and finished fifth at the European Championships in Podgorica, confirming his consistent presence in the heavyweight European judo elite.
2026 Season: Consistent Top-8 Finishes
In the current 2026 season, Balesky has demonstrated consistent form at top-tier tournaments: he finished seventh at the Upper Austria Grand Prix and at the Grand Slam in Hungary. Both results fall within the top eight strongest competitors, which, in the over 100 kg category where competition is especially fierce, is a strong indicator of high-level preparation ahead of the season's conclusion.
Club Triumph in France
In addition to individual starts, at the end of October Balesky competed for the French club ACBB Judo, helping the team win bronze medals in the Champions League for the first time in history. This result marked a notable contribution by the Ukrainian judoka to the club competition format and further expanded his medal tally in 2026.
Tournament Context
The Zagreb Grand Prix, held from November 13 to 15, is part of the international IJF World Judo Tour series and traditionally serves as one of the season's key stages. For the Ukrainian national team, the event proved fruitful: Savitsky's gold in the under 100 kg category and Balesky's bronze in the over 100 kg category rounded out the country's performance at the Croatian tournament.
