Europe’s heavy hitters leave their mark on the final day in Astana

The last day of the Qazaqstan Barysy Grand Slam 2026 delivered a strong European finish in Astana, with four of the five gold medals going to athletes from the continent. It was a day shaped by breakthrough wins, tactical control and heavyweight power in front of a crowd that clearly appreciated every moment.

One of the standout stories came in the men’s -90kg category, where Serbia’s Boris Rutovic took gold in only his second Grand Slam appearance. The 19-year-old had made his debut just a week earlier in Dushanbe, so this result felt like a huge step forward.

Rutovic beat Brazil’s Guilherme Schimidt in the final and later said he was proud of winning his first Grand Slam gold. He also pointed to the atmosphere in Kazakhstan, saying it meant a lot to take the title in front of fans who really understand judo.

Moldova’s Mihail Latisev recovered from a quarter-final loss to Rutovic and still fought his way to bronze. For the Netherlands, Frank de Wit came close to the podium but ended the day in fifth after losing to the Serbian in the semi-final.

Boris Rutovic turned his second Grand Slam into a gold-medal moment.

In the women’s -78kg event, Germany produced one of the most striking images of the day with an all-German final. Anna Monta Olek defeated Alina Boehm in a tactical contest, using her grip work to control the match and seal another important milestone in her season.

Olek’s 2026 Grand Slam results have built step by step: bronze in Paris, silver in Tashkent and now gold in Astana. She told the IJF that facing her teammate made throwing difficult because they know each other so well, and said her win came from staying mentally steady and forcing attacks to avoid penalties.

There was more European success in the same category as France’s Liz Ngelebeya claimed bronze with harai-goshi. Lithuania’s Migle Julija Dudenaite and Russia’s Aleksandra Babintseva both finished seventh.

The men’s -100kg division went to host nation Kazakhstan through Marat Baikamurov, but European athletes still featured prominently. Moldova’s Vadim Ghimbovschi earned silver, while the Netherlands’ Michael Korrel took bronze, his first World Judo Tour medal since 2024.

In the women’s +78kg class, Russia’s Elis Startseva finally reached the top step after previously taking six Grand Slam medals without gold. She defeated Kazakhstan’s Kamila Berlikash in the final by armlock submission and said afterward that the support from the local fans made the victory even more special.

Italy placed two athletes in fifth at +78kg, with Erica Simonetti and Tiziana Marini both just missing the podium.

The final gold of the day in the men’s +100kg category also stayed with Europe. Russia’s Inal Tasoev, the reigning world champion, beat Azerbaijan’s Ushangi Kokauri for gold with a sharp piece of footwork that brought the event to a powerful close.

Poland’s Jakub Sordyl added a bronze medal, while Germany’s Erik Abramov and Losseni Kone finished in the top seven.

By the end of day three, Europe had done far more than collect medals. From Rutovic’s breakthrough to Olek’s steady rise and Tasoev’s continued control at heavyweight, the continent’s athletes set the rhythm for the final session in Astana.

Astana’s closing day belonged largely to Europe’s medal winners.

Source: EJU.net

Image source: EJU / European Judo Union