Leiva Sanchez Seals Budapest Triumph with O-uchi-gari

Ayumi Leiva Sanchez of Spain claimed her first grand slam gold in the -52 kg category in Budapest, defeating Poland’s Barbara Twarowska in the final. The Spanish judoka controlled the contest from the opening score to the final exchange.

Leiva Sanchez created the decisive advantage with an O-uchi-gari, using a grip at the end of Twarowska’s sleeve to score a Yuko. From there, she managed the fight with composure and pressured Twarowska into receiving a penalty, closing out a convincing gold-medal performance.

The result continues a strong rise for Leiva Sanchez. The 2024 European under 23 champion collected four grand slam medals during her breakthrough 2025 season and also won the Zagreb Grand Prix. Her Budapest victory now adds a first grand slam title to that growing record.

A sharp O-uchi-gari gave Leiva Sanchez the platform for her first grand slam gold.

For Twarowska, silver still marked another important step in a fast-developing career. At 18, the Polish finalist had already become European cadet champion and world cadet bronze medallist in 2025, before winning the Prague junior European cup in 2026.

The bronze medals went to Odette Giuffrida of Italy and Tereza Bodnarova of the Czech Republic. Giuffrida, the 2024 world champion, gave Naomi van Krevel of the Netherlands little time to settle before scoring Ippon with a powerful ashi-guruma.

Bodnarova also won her bronze contest by Ippon, using an opportunistic counter against Liliia Nugaeva of Russia. Earlier in the day, Bodnarova had eliminated Giuffrida, and both athletes ultimately finished on the podium.

Speaking after her victory, Leiva Sanchez said that a difficult loss in Switzerland had strengthened her determination in Budapest. She credited her coaches in Valencia and described signing autographs for children afterwards as an emotional reminder of looking up to leading judoka when she was young.

Source: IJF.org

Image source: IJF / International Judo Federation