Kapil Parmar of India, who brought the first-ever IBSA Grand Prix medal home to India last year, rose to the occasion once more claiming gold in the J1 -60kg category. “This medal gives me huge confidence leading up to Paris next year. I know that with this medal, I am one step closer to the Paralympic Games and one step closer to my dream. I dedicate this medal to all Indian people!”
At J1 -48kg, Türkiye’s Ecem Tasin Cadvar explained that she felt very strong, physically and mentally, despite going deep into golden score, “I like fighting in Azerbaijan,” she said. “It is a brother country to Türkiye and when I am here, I become a champion.” Her statement holds weight, considering her previous gold medal win in Baku in 2021.
Reflecting on his gold medal win today, Tokyo Paralympic Games J1 -73kg bronze medallist Florin Alexandru Bologa expressed his satisfaction with the competition, stating, “This competition was a very good test for me before the Paralympic Games. It is a good sign and I am very pleased. I felt good and prepared well for this fight. I know the Italian very well; I know his techniques and I am happy that I could apply the technical plan that I wrote with my coach beforehand. It has been a busy period with the world and European championships but I have managed to raise my physical condition. I will continue to work like this until Paris next year.”
At J2 -48kg, Uzbekistan’s Lobar Khurramova completed her grand prix collection, adding a gold medal to her previous silver and bronze medals. “I was afraid throughout the day because all of my opponents have been champions before but once I reached the final, I was confident,” Lobar shared. “The medal and ranking are very important to me.”
With the presence of the top stars of para-judo, the field at the Baku IBSA Grand Prix has been incredibly competitive. Join us tomorrow for the heavyweights and what is set to be another exhilarating day of competition!