Ben Levy Stuns the Judo World with Paris Grand Slam Bronze on Debut

Ben Levy delivered a breakthrough performance at the Paris Grand Slam, capturing a bronze medal and securing Great Britain’s only podium finish at one of judo’s most prestigious events. In doing so, the 21-year-old claimed his first-ever Grand Slam medal on his debut appearance at this level — a remarkable achievement on one of the sport’s biggest stages.

The Paris Grand Slam is widely regarded as the crown jewel of the IJF World Tour, sitting just below the Olympic Games and World Championships in prestige. Hosted annually at the Accor Arena, it consistently attracts the strongest field in world judo, with Olympic and world champions prioritising the event due to its maximum ranking points, rich history, and unrivalled atmosphere. Competing, let alone medalling, in Paris is a true marker of elite international standing.

Levy, who trains at the Budokwai and is part of British Judo’s World Class Performance Programme, began his campaign in the Round of 32 against Korea’s Jaehong An. In a tense opening contest, neither athlete was able to register a score in regular time, sending the bout into golden score. Showing maturity beyond his years on his Grand Slam debut, Levy held his nerve and struck decisively just 21 seconds into extra time, securing a yuko to claim an important first win of the day.

The Round of 16 presented what was arguably the biggest challenge of Levy’s career to date, as he faced reigning world champion and Olympic silver medallist Joan-Benjamin Gaba of France. Competing against the home favourite in front of a packed Accor Arena, Levy delivered a fearless performance, going toe-to-toe with one of the division’s very best and once again forcing the contest into golden score. With the Paris crowd watching on, the British judoka produced a stunning yuko throw to defeat the world champion on his own turf — a monumental upset and a defining moment that will be remembered for years to come.

Progressing to the quarter-final, Levy faced Yesset Kuanov of Kazakhstan, a judoka with vast experience at the Grand Slam level. Wasting no time, he struck early with a yuko after just 1 minute and 30 seconds. What followed was a tense, tightly contested battle, but Levy showed composure and tactical awareness to manage the contest effectively and see out the win, booking his place in the semi-final.

With medals now firmly in sight, Levy’s semi-final against Italy’s Manuel Lombardo would determine which step of the podium he would contest. An Olympian, multiple-time Grand Slam gold medallist, and the current European Championships silver medallist, Lombardo represented another formidable test. For the first time on the day, Levy found himself trailing after conceding a yuko midway through the contest. Despite sustained pressure and relentless determination, he was unable to overturn the deficit, sending him into the bronze medal match.

Standing between Levy and a Paris Grand Slam medal was Tatsuki Ishihara of Japan — a multiple Grand Slam medallist, former Paris Grand Slam champion, and World Championship silver and bronze medallist. It was the biggest fight of Levy’s career, but having already overcome significant hurdles throughout the day, he rose once again to the occasion.

Two and a half minutes into the contest, Ishihara opened the scoring with a yuko. Unshaken, Levy responded with outstanding resilience and belief, throwing his experienced opponent for waza-ari just 26 seconds later to take the lead with just over a minute remaining. From there, the Budokwai fighter held his ground under immense pressure, closing out the contest to officially become a Paris Grand Slam medallist.

Reflecting on his achievement, Levy said, “This medal means a lot to me as I’ve felt it’s been a long time coming for me to get a big result, but just missing short at the end of last year. This result has, in a way, made up for those defeats and put me in a good mindspace for the start of Olympic qualification in a few months.

On the last exchange in the bronze medal fight, I saw only a few seconds were left, and then when I heard the bell, I couldn’t believe it was real — that I had actually medalled at my first Grand Slam.

“I was just ecstatic!”

An exceptional performance from the young British judoka, Levy’s bronze medal at his first-ever Grand Slam — and at the Paris Grand Slam no less — marks a major milestone in what is shaping up to be a hugely promising career.

An outstanding achievement that firmly establishes the British -73kg judoka as a genuine force within the division!

Michael Fryer (Rush Judo) was Great Britain’s next best performer at the Paris Grand Slam, securing a seventh-place finish in the -66kg category. Starting from the Round of 64, Fryer progressed all the way to the quarter-final, producing an excellent series of performances in his Paris Grand Slam debut.

His run came to an end in the quarter-final, where he suffered a narrow defeat by yuko, sending him into the repechage. There, Fryer was narrowly beaten by an elite Japanese opponent, the eventual bronze medallist, bringing his competition to a close.

Nevertheless, it was an excellent weekend for Fryer, who delivered a strong debut performance in Paris and secured a top result early in the 2026 season.

Congratulations to the entire British squad on a series of outstanding performances that embodied the fighting spirit and pride of British judo on the world stage!

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