Cypriot judokas conclude Hungary Grand Slam appearances

Petros Christodoulides represented Cyprus at the Hungary Grand Slam in Budapest on September 11, 2026, competing in the -66kg weight category. The 21-year-old athlete, who recently secured a silver medal at the 20th Mediterranean Games in Taranto, was eliminated in the first round after a defeat against Brazilian judoka Chrystian Silva. Fellow athlete Giorgos Balartsvili also participated in the -66kg division but was eliminated in his opening match by Hungarian opponent Bence Pongracz.

Christodoulides has experienced a successful 2026 season, which includes a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, a fifth-place finish at the Tbilisi Grand Slam, and a seventh-place finish at the Grand Prix Upper Austria. These consistent performances have elevated him to 27th place in the world rankings with 1,450 points, an improvement of over 100 positions since the end of 2025. A total of seven Cypriot athletes were scheduled to compete in the Budapest tournament, which runs from September 11 to 13.

Following his exit from the Hungary Grand Slam, Christodoulides is now preparing for his next major challenge at the World Championships, which are scheduled to take place in early October in Baku, Azerbaijan.