The 2026 IBSA Judo Grand Prix and the IBSA Americas and Oceania Championships brought together 142 athletes representing 29 nations from all five continents. They came from different cultures, spoke different languages and followed different paths to reach São Paulo, yet they all shared the same ambition: to test themselves against the very best and to continue their journey towards the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games.
Some will return home with gold medals, others with silver or bronze, while many will leave without standing on the podium. Yet reducing the event to a simple ranking would overlook what international Para judo has become. Behind every delegation stand coaches, guides, medical staff, volunteers, referees and officials, all contributing to an environment in which every athlete can compete safely and fairly. Every nation, regardless of its size or experience, has its place on the tatami.
Perhaps the most revealing figure from the weekend is not the number of gold medals won by the host nation, impressive though that achievement was, it is the fact that 22 different countries finished on the podium. From established Para judo nations to emerging programmes, athletes from across the world demonstrate that excellence is no longer concentrated in just a handful of countries. The competitive landscape continues to broaden, reflecting years of development work carried out by national federations, supported by IBSA and the International Judo Federation.
This diversity is one of the greatest strengths of Para judo. Every new nation reaching the podium represents more than a medal. It reflects coaches dedicating countless hours to their athletes, federations investing in long-term development, families providing unwavering support and athletes refusing to let obstacles define their ambitions. Each podium finish tells a story that began long before the competition itself.
As the curtain will soon fall on three memorable days in São Paulo, the medal table remains an important record of sporting achievement, but perhaps the greatest success of the weekend lies elsewhere. It can be seen in the growing number of nations capable of competing at the highest level, challenging for medals and inspiring future generations. In many ways, that is the strongest indication yet that international Para judo has never been healthier.