Ulaanbaatar, January 29, 2024 /MONTSAME/. The Grand Prix Portugal 2024 was successfully held in Odivelas, Portugal, from January 26 to 28, 2024. It marked the inaugural tournament of the International Judo Federation and was a highly competitive Grand Prix with a substantial number of participants, particularly significant as it took place in an Olympic year. Specifically, 624 judokas from 90 countries competed, setting a record for the Grand Prix tournament. 

In the Grand Prix, 14 Mongolian judokas competed, securing two bronze medals. Unfortunately, Honored Athlete of Mongolia Enkhriilen Lkhagvatogoo was unable to participate in the tournament despite entering the draw due to unforeseen reasons, whereas International Master of Sports Sosorbaram Lkhagvasuren had to miss the tournament due to a minor injury sustained during joint training. 

Narantsetseg Ganbaatar (MGL) is a formidable athlete who stood on the podium of a Grand Slam three times in 2023, achieving notable success in Tbilisi, Antalya, and Dushanbe. In the Grand Prix Portugal 2024 Pool C –48kg category, Narantsetseg emerged victorious against Malca Tamar (ISR) and Lasso Erika (COL). However, she faced a tough challenge in the form of Yoshioka Hikari from Japan, a Two-Time World Champion and Gold Medalist of the Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam 2023, resulting in a loss for Narantsetseg. Then, Narantsetseg beat down prominent Serbian Judoka Stojadinov Andrea, a Gold Medalist of Tashkent Grand Slam 2023, earning two waza-aris. In the bronze medal match, she proved herself as an athlete who belongs to the world stage. G. Narantsetseg took the lead in the match against Su Song Jon from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, who took down three judokas ranked in the top 20 in the world, with a waza-ari. 

Meanwhile, in the men's -100 kg category, International Master of Sports Gonchigsuren Batkhuyag won the first two matches in Pool C by default and secured the pool lead by beating twenty-year-old Udsilauri George from Germany. In the quarter-final, he faced Nikoloz Sherazadishvili (ESP), a Two-Time World Champion and Four-Time Gold Medalist of the Grand Slam, ultimately losing to Sherazadishvili Nikoloz. However, Gonchigsuren rebounded in the repechage, securing victory against Kroussaniotakis Georgios from Cyprus, and later defeating Green Kaito from Japan to clinch the bronze medal. B. Gonchigsuren secured his second medal in the Grand Prix competition. In the previous year, he grabbed a bronze medal at the 2023 Judo Grand Prix Dushanbe. 

The next tournament for Mongolian judokas is the Paris Grand Slam 2024, scheduled to commence on February 3, 2024.