Patricia Sampaio eighth Portuguese to win the Paris Grand Slam

The final for women U78kg was not for France at the 2025 Paris Grand Slam though. Inbar Lanir (ISR) and Patricia Sampaio (POR) appeared to enjoy their kumi-kata chess, the sleeve being dragged from one to the other and back again while the inside grip also changed hands repeatedly.

Sampaio, the more positive of the two, used her grips better and forced Lanir to take two penalties, meaning the Israeli had no choice but to come forward. This played right into the Portuguese athlete’s hands and she spun under her world champion opponent, throwing her for ippon with a seoi-otoshi. This is Sampaio’s first grand slam gold; what a place to do it!

Sampaio was out of words after her second success in Paris: "I am sure that I have created a mindset that helps me being here, I have the mindset of a champion and that helps me a lot. My confidence comes from all the work back and I have a strategy and we do what me and my coach tells us to do and it will work out. The crowd is amazing here and I gave my three 14-year's old training partner a ticket to Paris. I made a V of his name to thank him."  

This category always had a huge interest for the French. Aside from the 2011 world champion, 34-year old Audrey Tcheumeo, continuing to hold her place within the world’s elite, there are many more behind her. Posvite, Buttigieg and Mazzarino were all in play.

Zanet Michaelidou (CYP) was no match for Audrey Tcheumeo, not under the roof of the Bercy. She may have lost her chance for another gold in the French capital but this is her home and now she has 9 medals from this event alone; not many athletes in the history of judo have claimed as many.
The second bronze medal also remained in France as Fanny Estelle Posvite threw Derks (NED) with o-uchi-gari early on for a yuko. A little later she doubled down, securing ippon with a very fast uchi-mata, her strong lapel grip controlling the whole situation; one category but two medals for France Judo.