Olympian Laborde Places 7th in Return to Paris

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by Bill Kellick

(Photo by IJF)

Paris 2024 Olympian Maria Laborde (Kenosha, Wis. / NYAC / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center) returned to the French capital this past weekend and placed seventh in the women’s 48 kg division at the Paris Grand Slam, the highest finish for a U.S. judoka since Laborde’s seventh-place finish in 2023. Laborde reached the round of 16 at last summer’s Paris Olympic Games.

2025 Paris Grand Slam Results

The Paris Grand Slam opened the season for the International Judo Federation’s World Judo Tour as well as the elite circuit for the new Olympic cycle ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Games. A total of 298 competitors from 50 nations took part in the two-day Paris Grand Slam.

Laborde opened the competition with a win over two-time world championship medalist Oumaima Bedioui (TUN) after Bedioui incurred her third and disqualifying shido (penalty) in the Golden Score (sudden death overtime) period.

Moving into the quarterfinals against defending Olympic bronze medalist and home country favorite Shirine Boukli (FRA), the Frenchwoman transitioned a throw attempt by Laborde into a pin for ippon (instant win) at the 2:39 mark. Boukli would go on to win the silver medal.

The loss sent Laborde into the repechage against two-time world championship bronze medalist Andrea Stojadinov (SRB). At the 3:21 mark of the contest, Laborde picked up her third and disqualifying shido for a false attack, thus ending her competition.

Melissa Myers (Burnt Hills, N.Y. / Jason Morris Judo Center) was the only other American to reach the round of 16. Myers won by ippon over 2023 African continental champion Aina Laura Rasoanaivo Razafy (MAD) in the women’s 70 kg round of 32, before losing via ippon to eventual bronze medalist and four-time world championship medalist Marie Eve Gahie (FRA).

Jhonny Prado (Coral Springs, Fla.) served as the U.S. team coach while Brian Toth (Seattle, Wash.) represented the United States as referee.

The World Tour will resume in Azerbaijan with the Baku Grand Slam, Feb. 14-16.

Top eight and U.S. results are as follows:

Men’s 60 kg
1. Romain Valadier Picard (FRA)
2. Kenta Sekimoto (JPN)
3. Enzo Jean (FRA)
3. Bakhrom Boturov (UZB)
5. Jorre Verstraeten (BEL)
5. Cedric Revol (FRA)
7. In Hyuk Choi (KOR)
7. Kelvin Ray (FRA)
Also Competed: Christopher Velazco (Coral Springs, Fla. / NYAC / Ki-itsu-sai National Training Center), 0-1

Women’s 48 kg
1. Mitsuki Kondo (JPN)
2. Shirine Boukli (FRA)
3. Wakana Koga (JPN)
3. Tara Babulfath (SWE)
5. Laura Martinez Abelenda (ESP)
5. Andrea Stojadinov (SRB)
7. Mary Dee Vargas Ley (CHI)
7. Maria Laborde (Kenosha, Wis. / NYAC / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center)

Men’s 66 kg
1. Ruslan Pashayev (AZE)
2. Daikii Bouba (FRA)
3. Walide Khyar (FRA)
3. Vazha Margvelashvili (GEO)
5. Rashad Yelkiyev (AZE)
5. Murad Chopanov (IJF)
7. Taikoh Fujisaka (JPN)
7. Temur Nozadze (GEO)
Also Competed: Isaiah Ramirez (Barstow, Calif. / Barstow PAL Judo Club), 0-1

Women’s 52 kg
1. Kisumi Omori (JPN)
2. Kokoro Fujishiro (JPN)
3. Ayumi Leiva Sanchez (ESP)
3. Distria Krasniqi (KOS)
5. Sofia Asvesta (CYP)
5. Khorloodoi Bishrelt (UAE)
7. Ariane Toro Soler (ESP)
7. Naomi Van Krevel (NED)

Men’s 73 kg
1. Shakhram Akhadov (UZB)
2. Akil Gjakova (KOS)
3. Rashid Mammadaliyev (AZE)
3. Maxime Gobert (FRA)
5. Otari Kvantidze (POR)
5. Manuel Lombardo (ITA)
7. Orlando Cazorla (FRA)
7. Donghyun Bae (KOR)
Also Competed: Jack Yonezuka (West Long Branch, N.J. / NYAC / Cranford JKC), 0-1

Women’s 57 kg
1. Martha Fawaz (FRA)
2. Timna Nelson Levy (ISR)
3. Megumi Fuchida (JPN)
3. Ophelie Vellozzi (FRA)
5. Faiza Mokdar (FRA)
5. Eteri Liparteliani (GEO)
7. Marica Perisic (SRB)
7. Mika Adachi (JPN)
Also Competed: Angelica Delgado (Miami, Fla. / NYAC / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center), 0-1

Men’s 81 kg
1. Francois Gauthier Drapeau (CAN)
2. Nugzari Tatalashvili (UAE)
3. Matthias Casse (BEL)
3. Omar Rajabli (AZE)
5. Arnaud Aregba (FRA)
5. Yoshito Hojo (JPN)
7. Zaur Dvalashvili (GEO)
7. Alpha Oumar Djalo (FRA)
Also Competed: Ramon Hernandez, Jr. (Pompton Lakes, N.J. / North Jersey Judo), 0-1

Women’s 63 kg
1. Haruka Kaju (JPN)
2. Manon Deketer (FRA)
3. Melkia Auchecorne (FRA)
3. Nora Gjakova (KOS)
5. Megu Danno (JPN)
5. Joanne Van Lieshout (NED)
7. Inbal Shemesh (ISR)
7. Cristina Cabana Perez (ESP)
Also Competed: Emily Jaspe (Hialeah, Fla. / Ki-itsu-sai National Training Center), 0-1

Men’s 90 kg
1. Jonghoon Kim (KOR)
2. Luka Maisuradze (GEO)
3. Goki Tajima (JPN)
3. Alexis Mathieu (FRA)
5. Klen Kristofer Kaljulaid (EST)
5. Maxime-Gael Ngayap Hambou (FRA)
7. Eniel Caroly (FRA)
7. Max Laborde (FRA)

Women’s 70 kg
1. Ai Tsunoda Roustant (ESP)
2. Mayu Honda (JPN)
3. Marie Eve Gahie (FRA)
3. Margit De Voogd (NED)
5. Lucie Jarrot (FRA)
5. Irene Pedrotti (ITA)
7. Maya Kogan (ISR)
7. Serafima Moscalu (ROU)
Also Competed: Melissa Myers (Burnt Hills, N.Y. / Jason Morris Judo Center), 1-1; Shavon Gonzalez (West Palm Beach, Fla. / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center), 0-1

Men’s 100 kg
1. Dzhafar Kostoev (UAE)
2. Leonardo Goncalves (BRA)
3. Arman Adamian (IJF)
3. Ivan Felipe Silva Morales (CUB)
5. Jorge Fonseca (POR)
5. Azhdar Baghirov (AZE)
7. Seheon Kim (KOR)
7. Anton Savytskiy (UKR)

Women’s 78 kg
1. Patricia Sampaio (POR)
2. Inbar Lanir (ISR)
3. Audrey Tcheumeo (FRA)
3. Fanny Estelle Posvite (FRA)
5. Zanet Michaelidou (CYP)
5. Lieke Derks (NED)
7. Chloe Buttigieg (FRA)
7. Minju Kim (KOR)

Men’s +100 kg
1. Inal Tasoev (IJF)
2. Seungyeob Lee (KOR)
3. Toma Mikiforov (BEL)
3. Yuta Nakamura (JPN)
5. Martti Puumalainen (FIN)
5. Saba Inaneishvili (GEO)
7. Irakli Demetrashvili (GEO)
7. Utkirbek Turoboyev (UZB)

Women’s +78 kg
1. Lea Fontaine (FRA)
2. Hyeonji Lee (KOR)
3. Raz Hershko (ISR)
3. Mao Arai (JPN)
5. Hayun Kim (KOR)
5. Marit Kamps (NED)
7. Karen Stevenson (NED)
7. Yuli alma Mishiner (ISR)


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