Judo Grand Slam Mongolia: Top 4 Athletes To Watch

The focus of the Judo community shifts to Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam, from 25-27 July. This marks the second phase of the Judo calendar that includes three Grand Slams and four Grands Prix, criss-crossing five continents. Athletes will get enough opportunity to grab valuable world ranking points.

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This will be the first Grand Slam post World Championships , featuring 247 athletes. Here are the top four athletes to keep an eye on at Judo Grand Slam Mongolia:

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Judo Grand Slam Mongolia 2025: Top 4 Athletes To Watch

1. Patricia Sampaio (Portugal)

Portugal’s Patricia Sampaio is having a career-defining year. Already a Grand Slam champion in Paris, the 26-year-old -78kg judoka brings Olympic and World bronze pedigree to the mat in Mongolia. If the bracket holds, fans could be treated to a mouthwatering showdown between Sampaio and Umeki Mami of Japan — the 2015 world champion — in what could be the match of the tournament.

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2. Denis Vieru Returns (Moldova)

After a brief experiment at -73kg, Moldova’s Denis Vieru returns to the familiar territory: in the -66kg category — and back as the top seed. The Olympic bronze medallist hasn’t competed since the European Championships and skipped the Worlds, but his return to form could make him the man to beat in one of the deepest divisions on the roster.

3. Sherazadishvili (Spain)

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Spain’s Nikoloz Sherazadishvili’s bold move to switch to -100kg is paying off. The two-time world champion at -90kg recently defeated Olympic silver medallist Ilia Sulamanidze (GEO) and gave reigning Olympic champion Zelym Kotsoiev (AZE) a serious scare. With only Ukraine’s Anton Savytskiy ranked above him in Ulaanbaatar, Sherazadishvili looks like a true threat in his new weight class.

4. Odkhuu Tsetsentsengel (Mongolia)

Mongolia’s Odkhuu Tsetsentsengel, a three-time Grand Slam champion, will be looking to close the show in the men’s +100kg division. Fighting at home and with a proven track record, he’ll be one of the crowd favorites and a strong contender to end the weekend on a high note for Team Mongolia.

Also Read: Judo Grand Slam Astana 2025 Full Results, Medal Tally, And Prize Money