Canada claimed two gold medals on the second day of the Zagreb Judo Grand Prix in Croatia, with Jessica Klimkait winning the women’s under-63kg division and François Gauthier-Drapeau taking the men’s under-81kg title. The results of the competition at Arena Zagreb were reported on 15 November 2026 by Euronews in collaboration with the International Judo Federation. Victories for Georgia and Brazil, as well as a Croatian bronze medal, also featured in the day’s programme.
Jessica Klimkait takes the under-63kg title
Former world champion Jessica Klimkait faced Slovenia’s Kaja Kajzer Zabkar in the women’s under-63kg final. The Canadian secured a waza-ari in the closing seconds, obtaining the decisive advantage needed to win gold. The late score was particularly important because it settled a contest that remained closely fought near the end. It is the specific scoring action identified in the organisers’ account, rather than an inferred description of the entire bout.
Klimkait also reflected on returning to Zagreb after an absence since 2019. The city and its spectators were familiar to her from previous competition, making this a return to a venue she had not visited for several years. Croatia’s prime ministerial representative, Krešimir Šamija, presented the medals in that division, according to the event report.
François Gauthier-Drapeau doubles Canada’s gold tally
The second Canadian victory came in the men’s under-81kg event. François Gauthier-Drapeau produced a foot sweep in golden score, the extra period used when a judo contest requires a decisive outcome after regulation time. That technique earned the result which gave Canada a second top-podium finish during the same day’s finals. Euronews described the action as the key moment in the Canadian’s victory.
The medals in the under-81kg category were presented by Tina Trstenjak, the International Judo Federation’s referee director. The combination of Klimkait’s late waza-ari and Gauthier-Drapeau’s golden-score foot sweep illustrates how the two Canadian titles came from different situations on the tatami. One was decided shortly before the end of ordinary time, while the other was settled in an additional period.
Georgia’s Loladze wins his first Grand Prix gold
Georgia’s Giorgi Loladze met Ireland’s Joshua Green in the men’s under-73kg final. For both judoka it was their first appearance in a Grand Prix final, making the contest a notable career opportunity for each competitor. Loladze won through a yuko score in a closely contested encounter, securing his first title at this level. The result offered Georgia a victory alongside Canada’s successes on the second day.
The medals were awarded by Georgia’s ambassador to Croatia, Zaal Gogsadze. Loladze spoke positively about the atmosphere and the emotional response of the crowd. The organisers’ report does not provide a full point-by-point record of every exchange, so the decisive yuko is the confirmed description of how the title was obtained.
Brazil’s Nauana Silva also celebrates a breakthrough
In the women’s under-70kg category, Brazil’s Nauana Silva faced Poland’s Aleksandra Kowalewska. Silva entered the final with four previous Grand Prix medals but no gold, making the meeting an opportunity to change that record. She succeeded in winning her first Grand Prix title, adding a Brazilian gold medal to the day’s international results.
Krešimir Makvić, representing the mayor of Zagreb, handed out the medals for the under-70kg division. The published report highlights Silva’s persistence but does not give a detailed sequence of scoring actions for the final. It is therefore possible to confirm the winner and the significance of the first gold without assigning an unreported technique or score to the result.
Home supporters celebrate a Croatian bronze
Croatia’s Iva Oberan won bronze in front of the home crowd, offering the local audience a medal to celebrate. Her podium result forms another part of the second-day picture, alongside gold medals for Canada, Georgia and Brazil. The report does not specify in its summary the complete sequence of Oberan’s matches or all the other bronze medallists, so those details should not be presented as established.
- Canada: Jessica Klimkait, gold in women’s under-63kg.
- Canada: François Gauthier-Drapeau, gold in men’s under-81kg.
- Georgia: Giorgi Loladze, gold in men’s under-73kg.
- Brazil: Nauana Silva, gold in women’s under-70kg.
- Croatia: Iva Oberan, bronze on home soil.
Zagreb hosts the international judo programme
The second day’s action took place inside Arena Zagreb. The event was formally opened with a local kata demonstration and remarks from International Judo Federation secretary general Lisa Allan and Croatian Judo Federation president Sanda Corak. Those ceremonial proceedings accompanied a programme in which established competitors and first-time Grand Prix champions shared the podium.
The report looked ahead to a third day featuring heavier weight categories. That programme was still ahead at the time of the second-day account and should not be treated as completed in this report. Readers seeking subsequent results should consult separate official updates rather than assume that the early successes determined the outcome of the remaining competition.
What remains to be confirmed
- The full final medal table after every weight division has been completed.
- The results of the remaining heavier categories on the third day.
- Any later amendments to the detailed match records published by the organisers.
