-60kg: Ashpiz (ISR)
In the dying seconds of his final match, Izhak Ashpiz attacked Enzo Jean (FRA) with ouchi-gari, followed up immediately with ura-nage, to score an ippon.
Ashpiz said, "I am very happy to win a Grand Slam again. It’s a very good feeling and I want it more. Winning the gold medal has taken believing in myself, my team believing in me, and teamwork. My expectation for myself at the World Championships in Baku is to be at the top of the podium. I will train hard and we will see the results."
-66kg: Yotov (BUL)
Boyan Yotov threw Byambasuren Ulziibayar twice with ura-nage to score waza-ari-awasete-ippon and win the gold medal.
Yotov said: "It was a great pleasure to compete here and I'm happy I finally realised my visualisations. I was just in the moment, performing at my best and letting the energy run through me. Recently I read a book by Robin Sharma, ‘The Saint, the Surfer and the CEO,’ which taught me to stop competing for medals and focus on becoming the best version of myself instead. Having the children supporting me was a special feeling, even more special than being on the tatami! I love that they get excited and I hope some of them will compete with me in the future. The atmosphere and training hall were incredible too and I'm glad I could perform at my best here. As for the upcoming World Championships, you'll have to ask my coach, but I certainly hope I'll be there!"
-73kg: Mammadaliyev (AZE)
Rashid Mammadaliyev threw Narek Vardanian (SWE) with a drop sode for ippon to clinch the gold.
Mammadaliyev said: "I feel very happy taking the victory in Budapest. We did a great job with my coaches and medical team. Signing autographs for the children is important to me too because when I was a child, I wanted autographs from good judoka, too. I really liked the atmosphere in the arena. Today was my first time having six fights in a competition; every round was a battle. In the final against the Swedish judoka, I knew he had good leg techniques, so I stayed focused on not giving him any openings. Looking ahead to the Baku World Championships, my hope is to train hard and stay injury-free, but tomorrow I have time to celebrate the gold medal."
-81kg: Hojo (JPN)
The final match between Yoshito Hojo and Mihajlo Simin (SRB) was a close one that went into Golden Score. In the end, it was settled by penalties. Simin had two shidos while Hojo had none, when both wandered off the mat. Both were given penalties, so Simin, with his third penalty, got disqualified.
Hojo: "It has been a while since I last competed internationally, so I am extremely happy to win the gold medal. I think what made the difference between victory and defeat was my determination to keep attacking relentlessly without taking a break, which I believe was stronger than my opponent's. So many young children came to watch today and were supporting me, which made me truly happy; I hope everyone continues to watch and support me moving forward."
-90kg: Schimidt (BRA)
Guilherme Schimidt was down by two shidos when he threw Boris Rutovic (SRB) with a cross-grip seoi-nage which was initially scored waza-ari but then was changed to ippon because Rutovic was considered to have done a bridge to avoid landing on his back. Whether he was actually bridging is debatable but the ippon was given.
Schimidt said: "I am very happy as it has been a year since my surgery and my move to the -90 kg category. Winning my first -90 kg grand slam title here in Budapest, where I previously won at -81 kg, makes me feel extremely grateful. This is my fifth time in Budapest and my third medal here; I love the crowd's energy and truly feel at home. Moving to -90 kg was mostly about adapting and earning international opportunities, especially given Brazil's strong roster. Now I am fully adapted, I feel stronger without the harsh weight cut and am targeting the world championship gold medal."
-100kg: Pirelli (ITA)
Gennaro Pirelli fought a tactical match against Jorge Fonseca (POR) who eventually lost by penalties in Golden Score.
Pirelli said: "I felt great today, which gives me the exact motivation I need as I prepare for the Baku World Championships. Against opponents like the Canadian and the Japanese, I focused on the grip fight and changing my attack strategy from right to left, which paid off well. Winning gold at the Worlds has been my dream for a long time. I rely on myself and on my coach, who keeps me focused on taking things step by step. As a superstitious Neapolitan, I’m already focused on getting back to the gym on Tuesday to keep working."
+100kg: Endovitskii (RUS)
Valerii Endovitskii (RUS) threw Marek-Adrian Masak (EST) twice. The first one was a drop sode and the second was an ouchi-gari. Both throws scored only yuko but it was enough to win the Russian the match.
Endovitskii said, "Budapest is a special place for me. After we took three golds here at the last World Championships, that winning mentality carried over and so I always feel confident competing here. My opponent in the final, from Estonia, was tall and strong, but young. We've sparred together in training camps before but he lacks senior international experience. He has a bright future and with more international training, he'll be a tough competitor. As for what's next whether it's Baku, Abu Dhabi or Zagreb that's up to the coaches; it's a secret! I just hope to compete, whether in individual or mixed team events."
