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Russian judoka Vorobyova wins gold at 2026 Judo Grand Slam in Switzerland

In the final bout, the Russian judoka defeated Laura Martinez Abelenda of Spain

GENEVA, August 28. /TASS/. Russian judoka Marina Vorobyova won gold on Friday in the women’s under-48 kilo weight category at the 2026 Judo Grand Slam tournament in Lausanne, Switzerland.

In the final bout, the Russian judoka defeated Laura Martinez Abelenda of Spain, who won bronze at the 2025 World Judo Championship and two more bronze at the European Judo Championships (2023, 2026).

Vorobyova, 24, won a bronze herself at the 2026 European Judo Championship.

Reached by a TASS correspondent after her victory, Vorobyova said she realized a long-awaited dream when she heard the national anthem being played standing on the podium after her international triumph.

"I've been dreaming about this for a long time, because since we were allowed to perform under the symbols of our country, I hadn't had a first-place finish," she told TASS. "So today means a lot to me."

"This is my first gold medal in adult competitions on the international stage. I will continue to do everything to win and prove that I am the strongest," she continued.

"I just needed to gain some experience and work on my mistakes," Vorobyova concluded.

The 2026 Judo Grand Slam in Lausanne runs from August 28-30 and, according to the International Judo Federation (IJF), brings together 510 judokas from 77 countries.