The sprawling, modern city of Astana was alive with tension and triumph on the final day of the 2026 Qazaqstan Barysy Grand Slam. After two days of relentless competition, the stage was set for the heavyweights—the -90kg, -100kg, and +100kg categories for men, and the -78kg and +78kg for women—to bring the tournament to a thunderous close. The air in the arena crackled with the energy of a passionate home crowd, their cheers and gasps underscoring every strategic grip, every explosive attack. This was judo at its most powerful and dramatic, where a single, well-timed move could etch a name into history and where national pride hung in the balance with every contest.
The day’s narrative was one of both breakthrough and established dominance. In the -90kg final, a glimpse of the sport’s thrilling future unfolded as 19-year-old Boris Rutovic of Serbia faced Brazil’s Guilherme Schmidt. In a tightly contested battle where opportunities were scarce, Rutovic showcased a poise beyond his years. With a mere twenty seconds remaining on the clock, he executed a decisive throw for a yuko score—the only point of the match—to claim the gold medal. This remarkable victory, secured in only his second-ever Grand Slam appearance, announced Rutovic as a formidable new force on the international stage. Shortly after, the women’s -78kg category presented a fascinating all-German duel between Anna Monta Olek and Alina Boehm. Their intimate knowledge of each other’s styles led to a tactical stalemate, ultimately decided in Olek’s favor by penalties, a testament to the mental fortitude required at this elite level.
For the host nation, the day crescendoed with moments of pure, unadulterated joy, particularly in the marquee -100kg final. Kazakhstan’s own Marat Baikamurov stepped onto the tatami to face Moldova’s Vadim Ghimbovschi, carrying the hopes of the entire arena on his shoulders. He channeled that energy into an immediate offensive, securing an early yuko. What followed was a masterclass in resilience as Baikamurov weathered a storm of attacks from the determined Moldovan, defending with heart and precision until the final bell. His victory, awarded by Kazakh Olympic silver medalist Dr. Askhat Zhitkeyev, unleashed a deafening roar from the crowd, a golden moment made in and for Kazakhstan. This home triumph was balanced by a display of sheer power in the women’s heavyweight +78kg final, where Elis Startseva defeated Kazakhstan’s Kamila Berlikash not with a throw, but with a devastatingly applied arm lock, earning an ippon and her first Grand Slam gold.
The climax of the entire tournament resided in the +100kg final, a colossal matchup between Georgia’s top-seeded world champion, Inal Tasoev, and Azerbaijan’s Ushangi Kokauri. In a contest where giants clashed, the margin for error was vanishingly small. Tasoev, a model of consistency and technical prowess, leveraged his experience to control the pace and secure a single, critical yuko. That one score was all he needed to triumph, adding an incredible 11th Grand Slam gold medal to his already legendary career. His victory served as a reminder that while new stars are always rising, the pinnacle of the sport remains fiercely guarded by athletes of peerless skill and determination.
As the last echoes of applause faded, Kazakhstan could reflect on an extraordinarily successful home tournament. The four medals won on this final day propelled the team to a prestigious third-place finish in the overall medal standings, a cause for immense national pride. The 2026 Qazaqstan Barysy was more than a series of matches; it was a three-day festival of explosive athleticism, heart-stopping drama, and raw human emotion that will be cherished by competitors and fans alike.
The global judo caravan, however, never rests. With the flags in Astana lowered, the world tour now looks ahead, its next stop slated for the historic steppes of Mongolia. In just one month, the finest judokas on the planet will reconvene in Ulaanbaatar, ready to write the next chapter in this endless pursuit of excellence, where new heroes will emerge and established champions will face fresh tests under a different sky.
