Tajik judoka Muhiddin Asadulloyev claimed a bronze medal at the Paris Grand Slam 2026, the first event of the IJF World Judo Tour this season, held in the French capital.
The 19-year-old athlete from Tajikistan’s national team competed in the men’s under-73 kg category. In the bronze medal bout, Asadulloyev defeated France’s Dayan Boulemtafes, securing a podium finish at one of the most prestigious tournaments in world judo.
Asadulloyev opened the competition confidently, defeating Spain’s Anton Shukhaliyev in his opening match. He then displayed strong tactical discipline against French judoka Peter Jean, winning the bout by three shido penalties to advance to the quarterfinals.
In the quarterfinals, Asadulloyev faced one of the most experienced competitors in the division, Italy’s Manuel Lombardo. Although the Tajik athlete lost the contest, he retained a chance to fight for a medal through the repechage.
In the consolation round, Asadulloyev overcame Kazakhstan’s Yesset Kuanov before once again meeting Boulemtafes in the bronze medal match. In a closely contested bout, Asadulloyev prevailed 2–1 to secure third place.
The medal marks Asadulloyev’s first bronze at the Grand Slam level. He has previously won gold and silver medals at Grand Slam tournaments and is also a reigning junior world champion.
On the final day of Paris Grand Slam 2026, Tajikistan was also represented by Abubakr Sherov (81 kg), Muhammadjon Abdudjalilzoda (90 kg), and Abubakr Akobir (100 kg). Meanwhile, Mehrzod Sufiyev (60 kg), Nourali Emomali (66 kg), and Abubakr Boqiyev (81 kg) were unable to compete due to visa issues.
The most successful Tajik athlete on the final day was Abubakr Sherov, who finished seventh in the under-81 kg category. He won five matches, defeating Ukraine’s Vladyslav Kolobov, Brazil’s David Lima, and Egypt’s Abdelrahman Abdelghani to reach the quarterfinals.
Sherov lost his quarterfinal bout to Azerbaijan’s Zelim Tskayev by shido and was later defeated by Japan’s Yoshito Hojo in the repechage round.
In the under-90 kg division, Muhammadjon Abdudjalilzoda began with a win over American John Jane but was eliminated in the second round after losing to France’s Alexis Mathieu. Abubakr Akobir (100 kg) was defeated in his opening bout by French judoka Fares Mehou and did not advance further.
As a result, Tajikistan’s only medal at the Paris Grand Slam 2026 was the bronze won by Muhiddin Asadulloyev in the under-73 kg category.
It is also worth noting that Asadulloyev was named Rising Star of the Year at the IJF Judo Awards 2025. In 2025, he won the Dushanbe Grand Slam, captured the junior world championship title, and claimed silver at the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam, confirming his status as one of the most promising judokas on the international stage.
