The 2023 IBSA Judo Grand Prix Alexandria elevated the Indian judoka Kapil Parmar to the status of national hero! He was the winner of the J1 -60kg category, winning the final against the Portuguese Miguel Vieira and capturing the first gold medal for India in a Judo Grand Prix competition.

Kapil Parmar made history for India by starting his victorious path against the Iraqi Qusay Abdulrahman, beating next the Chinese Shiwen Zhu, and then Henry Borges (Uruguay), winner of pool A, in the semi-final. The 23-year-old from the Bohpal district is pretty sure that he will get a nice reception on his way back home.

“This is a good feeling; India had put in so much hard work until here”, Kapil said. “Many garlands and music will be waiting for me, my friends, many sports fans, and of course my parents. I’ve been playing judo for the last nine years, and I came to this sport because I was always fighting with my friends at school, and my teachers told me that I should pick a sport to spend my energy in the best way possible. What are my plans now? Prepare the best I can for the Asian Championships and Para Asian Games and try to qualify for our first Paralympic games presence, which I know that my country has been looking for for the past eight years”, he said, in his full speed ahead for Paris 2024.

After his absence in the previous Grand Prix, in Portugal, the Romenian Alex Bologa returned to the tatamis to win the gold (J1 -73kg) by taking the German Lennart Sass to the ground. In J2 -60 kg category, Uzbekistan took the final to itself, but Kemran Nurillaev got the best from his countryman, Sherzod Namozov.

The same thing happened in the women’s J2 -48kg category. This time, China dominated the final, but Liqing Li got the gold and left the silver medal for Yi Lyu.

Check out all the medals from the first day of competition at the Borj Al Arab Sports Hall in Alexandria:

Men
J1 -60kg
1st – Kapil Parmar (IND)
2nd – Miguel Vieira (POR)
3rd – Elielton Oliveira (BRA)
3rd – Henry Borges (URU)

J1 -73kg
1st – Alex Bologa (ROM)
2nd – Lennart Sass (GER)
3rd – Ldyebo Lamani (RSA)
3rd – Yergali Shamey (KAZ)

J2 -60kg
1st – Kemran Nurillaev (UZB)
2nd – Sherzod Namozov (UZB)
3rd – Luis Gavilan (ESP)
3rd – Ishak Ouldkouider (ALG)

J2 -73kg
1st – Namig Abasli (AZE)
2nd – Olzhas Orazalyuli (KAZ)
3rd – Yujiro Seto (JPN)
3rd – Osvaldas Bareikis (LTU)

Women
J1 -48kg
1st – Nataliya Nikolaychyk (UKR)
2nd – Dering Chen (CHN)
3rd – Khaiitkhon Khussan Kyzy (KGZ)
3rd – Rosicleide Andrade (BRA)

J2 -48kg
1st – Liqing Lyu (CHN)
2nd – Yi Lyu (CHN)
3rd – Yuliia Yvanitska (UKR)
3rd – Yui Fujiwara (JPN)

J2 -57kg
1st – Kumushkhon Khodjaeva (UZB)
2nd – Dayana Fedossova (KAZ)
3rd – Lúcia Araújo (BRA)
3rd – Inna Sych (UKR)

Photo: Mohamed Abas/IBSA