Laborde Wins Guadalajara Grand Prix

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) - 2024 Olympian Maria Laborde (Kenosha, Wis. / NYAC / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center) claimed her second career International Judo Federation Grand Prix gold medal in the women's 48 kg division on October 17 in Guadalajara, Mexico. It was her first Grand Prix gold for the United States after a previous win for Cuba in 2014 and follows a bronze in Upper Austria earlier this year.

The three-day Guadalajara Grand Prix brought together 231 athletes from 33 nations at the Unidad Deportiva Lopex Mateos, and came on the heels of the Lima Grand Prix in Peru the prior weekend.

Laborde, ranked 8th in the world, defeated Jade Perez (MEX) in the quarterfinals with an early waza-ari (half-point) and yuko using shoulder throws, securing the victory in the first 71 seconds.

Facing Tamar Malca (ISR) in the semi-final, the match advanced into Golden Score (sudden death overtime) when neither judoka was able to score during the four-minute regulation period. There was also no scoring in the extra period and the match was awarded to Laborde just over a minute into Golden Score when Malca was assessed her third and disqualifying shido (penalty) for a false attack.

Another closely-contested match occurred in the final against Eva Perez Soler (ESP), where Laborde scored an early yuko with a shoulder throw eight seconds into the contest and made it hold up the rest of the way to secure the gold medal.

The U.S. team secured six other top-eight finishes in Guadalajara. Gusmary Garcia Savigne (Claymont, Del. / El Idrissi Judo Academy) and Alex Semenenko (Staten Island, N.Y. / NYAC / Generation Judo Club) both finished fifth on Sunday in the women's +78 kg and men's +100 kg divisions, respectively, while seventh-place finishes were recorded by Jonathan Yang (Los Angeles, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team) in the men's 60 kg, Jack Yonezuka (West Long Branch, N.J. / NYAC / Cranford JKC) in the men's 73 kg, and by Dominic Rodriguez (Fort Myers, Fla. / NYAC / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center) and Johan Silot (Salem, Mass. / NYAC / Pedro's Judo Center) in the men's 81 kg.

The next IJF Grand Prix takes place in Zagreb, Croatia, November 14-16.

2025 Guadalajara Grand Prix Results

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

Men’s 60 kg
1. Balabay Aghayev (AZE)
2. Michel Augusto (BRA)
3. Jorre Verstraeten (BEL)
3. Ahmad Yusifov (AZE)
5. Jonathan Charon (CUB)
5. Enzo Jean (FRA)
7. Marton Andrasi (HUN)
7. Jonathan Yang (Los Angeles, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team)
Also Competed: David Terao (Falls Church, Va.), 1-1

Women's 48 kg
1. Maria Laborde (Kenosha, Wis. / NYAC / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center)
2. Eva Perez Soler (ESP)
3. Mary Dee Vargas Ley (CHI)
3. Tamar Malca (ISR)
5. Jade Perez (MEX)
5. Heidi Quach (CAN)
Also Competed: Anat Tsyrlin (Fair Lawn, N.J. / Colton Brown Training Center), 0-2

Men's 66 kg
1. Ruslan Pashayev (AZE)
2. Luukas Saha (FIN)
3. Adrian Nieto Chinarro (ESP)
3. Daikii Bouba (FRA)
5. Charlie Young (GBR)
5. Elios Manzi (ITA)
7. Robin Jara (MEX)
7. Ronald Lima (BRA)
Also Competed: Lenny Sheynfeld (Staten Island, N.Y. / NYAC / Pedro's Judo Center), 0-1; Ari Berliner (Cumming, Ga. / NYAC / Jason Morris Judo Center), 1-1

Women's 52 kg
1. Jessica Pereira (BRA)
2. Ayumi Leiva Sanchez (ESP)
3. Gefen Primo (ISR)
3. Nicole Marques (BRA)
5. Kenya Perna (ITA)
5. Evelyn Beaton (CAN)
7. Lea Metrot (FRA)
Also Competed: Toni Pepia (Staten Island, N.Y. / NYAC / Colton Brown Training Center), 0-1; Emily Sway (San Diego, Calif. / San Diego Judo Club), 0-1

Men’s 73 kg
1. Hidayat Heydarov (AZE)
2. Chusniddin Karimov (CZE)
3. Rashid Mammadaliyev (AZE)
3. Martin Hojak (SLO)
5. Justin Lemire (CAN)
5. Andres Pariche (VEN)
7. Diego Fernandez Campillo (ESP)
7. Jack Yonezuka (West Long Branch, N.J. / NYAC / Cranford JKC)
Also Competed: Cole Chandler (Honolulu, Hawaii / Hawaii Tenri Judo), 0-1

Women's 57 kg
1. Amandine Buchard (FRA)
2. Ophelie Vellozzi (FRA)
3. Acelya Toprak (GBR)
3. Shirlen Nascimento (BRA)
5. Marta Garcia Martin (ESP)
5. Adriana Rodriguez Salvador (ESP)
7. Hili Zakroisky (ISR)
7. Renata Ortiz (MEX)
Also Competed: Mariah Holguin (San Antonio, Texas / Universal Judo), 0-1

Men’s 81 kg
1. Vasul Galandarzade (AZE)
2. Eetu Ihanamaki (FIN)
3. Mykhailo Svidrak (UKR)
3. Leonardo Casaglia (ITA)
5. Zelim Tckaev (AZE)
5. Medickson Del Obre Cortorreal (DOM)
7. Dominic Rodriguez (Fort Myers, Fla. / NYAC / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center)
7. Johan Silot (Salem, Mass. / NYAC / Pedro's Judo Center) 

Women’s 63 kg
1. Haruka Kaju (JPN)
2. Jessica Klimkait (CAN)
3. Nauana Silva (BRA)
3. Rafaela Silva (BRA)
5. Inbal Shemesh (ISR)
5. Kaja Kajzer (SLO)
7. Maria Cruz (MEX)
7. Prisca Awiti Alcaraz (MEX)
Also Competed: Karlee Carrouth (Oklahoma City, Okla. / NYAC / USA Stars), 0-1; Emily Jaspe (Hialeah, Fla. / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center), 1-1

Men’s 90 kg
1. Christian Parlati (ITA)
2. Marcelo Fronckowiak (BRA)
3. Guilherme Schimidt (BRA)
3. Murad Fatiyev (AZE)
5. Noah Christiaens (BEL)
5. Adam Kopecky (CZE)
7. Daniel Nieto Trinidad (ESP)
7. Alex Barto (SVK)
Also Competed: Alexander Knauf (Yorkville, Ill. / NYAC / Cohen Brothers Judo), 0-1; Oleksandr Nyzhnyk (Burlingame, Calif. / USA Judo National Resident Team), 0-1

Women’s 70 kg
1. Lara Cvjetko (CRO)
2. Dena Pohl (GER)
3. Kaillany Cardoso (BRA)
3. Gabriella Willems (BEL)
5. Martina Esposito (ITA)
5. Giorgia Stangherlin (ITA)
7. Kaja Schuster (SLO)
7. Ida Eriksson (SWE)
Also Competed: Yasmin Alamin (Woodbridge, Va. / USA Judo National Resident Team / Sport Judo), 0-1; Melissa Myers (Burnt Hills, N.Y. / Jason Morris Judo Center), 0-1

Men’s 100 kg
1. Zelym Kotsoiev (AZE)
2. Gennaro Pirelli (ITA)
3. Leonardo Goncalves (BRA)
3. Anton Savytskiy (UKR)
5. Kyle Reyes (CAN)
5. Enrico Bergamelli (ITA)
7. Thomas Briceno (CHI)
7. Martin Bezdek (CZE)
Also Competed: Jared Causse (Charlotte, N.C. / USA Judo National Resident Team), 0-1; Daniel Liubimovski (Staten Island, N.Y. / NYAC / Colton Brown Training Center), 0-1

Women’s 78 kg
1. Kurena Ikeda (JPN)
2. Beatriz Freitas (BRA)
3. Kaila Issoufi (FRA)
3. Metka Lobnik (SLO)
5. Zanet Michaelidou (CYP)
5. Inbar Lanir (ISR)
7. Coralie Godbout (CAN)

Men’s +100 kg
1. Ushangi Kokauri (AZE)
2. Lukas Krpalek (CZE)
3. Rafael Buzacarini (BRA)
3. Martti Puumalainen (FIN)
5. Alex Semenenko (Staten Island, N.Y. / NYAC / Generation Judo Club)
5. Tieman Diaby (FRA)
7. Vito Dragic (SLO)
7. Karl Priilinn Turk (EST)

Women’s +78 kg
1. Raz Hershko (ISR)
2. Helena Vukovic (CRO)
3. Karen Leon (VEN)
3. Giovanna Santos (BRA)
5. Yuli Alma Michiner (ISR)
5. Gusmary Garcia Savigne (Claymont, Del. / El Idrissi Judo Academy)
Also Competed: Anna Atkinson (Tacoma, Wash. / Ippon Judo Dojo), 0-2