Abu Dhabi Grand Slam 2026: Keldiyorova returns as world No. 1s Coughlan and Hershko headline
The Abu Dhabi judo Grand Slam runs 29-31 October with 33 top-ten judoka. Final blocks start at 10pm Malaysia time each day.
The World Judo Tour is in the Gulf this week. The Abu Dhabi Grand Slam runs from Thursday, 29 October, to Saturday, 31 October, at the Mubadala Arena. The International Judo Federation (IJF) listed 395 entries from 60 nations, including 33 judoka ranked in the world top ten. Ranking points from the event count towards qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. The draw took place on 28 October, which is World Judo Day.
Keldiyorova's comeback
Uzbekistan's Diyora Keldiyorova, the Olympic champion at -52kg, is one of the main names to follow. JudoInside reports she is back after time away from the sport to start a family. She won the Asian Open in Aktau earlier this month.
Because she has been away, Keldiyorova is unseeded at Abu Dhabi and could meet a seeded player early. Hungary's Roza Gyertyas, ranked seventh, is the highest-ranked woman in the -52kg draw. Israel's Gefen Primo is also entered. The -52kg category is on day one.
Two world number ones
Australia's Aoife Coughlan is the world No. 1 and top seed at -70kg. JudoInside says she is the first Australian to top the senior world rankings. She did not win a medal at the recent World Championships in Baku.
Israel's Raz Hershko is world No. 1 at +78kg and won bronze in Baku. The +78kg category has the smallest field of the event and is on the final day.
The host nation has its own medal hopes. Yelyzaveta Lytvynenko is the UAE's first world champion, and Makhmadbek Makhmadbekov reached a World Championship final, according to the IJF.
A strong -66kg field
The men's -66kg category on day one is one of the strongest of the event. Azerbaijan's Ruslan Pashayev is the top seed and Portugal's Miguel Nery Gago is seeded sixth. Two well-known names are unseeded: Brazil's Willian Lima, Olympic silver medallist at Paris 2024, and former world champion Iago Abuladze. Kazakhstan's Gusman Kyrgyzbayev is another contender. The draw makes early meetings between leading players likely.
Daily schedule and Malaysia times
Abu Dhabi is four hours behind Malaysia. Times below are from the IJF competition page.
- Day 1, Thursday 29 Oct: Men -60kg, -66kg; women -48kg, -52kg, -57kg. Preliminaries 11:30 local (3.30pm Malaysia), final block 18:00 (10pm Malaysia).
- Day 2, Friday 30 Oct: Men -73kg, -81kg; women -63kg, -70kg. Preliminaries 12:00 local (4pm Malaysia), final block 18:00 (10pm Malaysia).
- Day 3, Saturday 31 Oct: Men -90kg, -100kg, +100kg; women -78kg, +78kg. Preliminaries 11:30 local (3.30pm Malaysia), final block 18:00 (10pm Malaysia).
JudoInside counts 41 entries in the men's -73kg on Friday, the largest category, and 14 in the women's +78kg. The IJF streams the event live on JudoTV.
Key takeaways
- The Abu Dhabi Grand Slam runs 29-31 October at the Mubadala Arena, with 33 judoka from the world top ten entered.
- Olympic champion Diyora Keldiyorova returns unseeded at -52kg after time away to start a family.
- World No. 1s Aoife Coughlan (-70kg) and Raz Hershko (+78kg) head their categories.
- Final blocks start at 18:00 local time each day, which is 10pm in Malaysia.
- Ranking points count towards LA28 Olympic qualification.
FAQ
Q: When is the Abu Dhabi judo Grand Slam 2026? It runs from 29 to 31 October 2026 at the Mubadala Arena in Abu Dhabi, with medal bouts from 18:00 local time (10pm Malaysia time) each day.
Q: Which categories are on the first day? Men's -60kg and -66kg, and women's -48kg, -52kg and -57kg.
Q: Where can I watch the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam? The IJF streams World Judo Tour events live on its JudoTV platform.
Sources: International Judo Federation, JudoInside