Mohamed Yazbek Clinches Bronze for UAE at World Judo Championships in Budapest
Mohamed Yazbek, a standout athlete from the UAE national judo team, captured the bronze medal in the under-81kg category at the ongoing OTP Bank World Judo Championships in Budapest. The tournament features judokas from 93 countries, making Yazbek’s achievement even more significant on the global stage.
This accomplishment positioned the UAE as the top Arab nation in the standings and placed the country 12th globally in the overall tournament rankings. Yazbek‘s path to the podium was marked by a series of strong performances within a highly competitive group that included 45 internationally ranked judokas.
In the decisive bronze medal match, Yazbek overcame Serbia’s Mohamed Bekov, securing one of the team’s most notable international results ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. He narrowly missed an appearance in the final following a close quarter-final encounter with France’s Joan-Benjamin Gaba, the reigning world champion and Olympic medallist.
The championship continues on its fifth day, shifting focus to the heavyweight under-90kg category, where UAE’s Suleiman Ibrahim is scheduled to face Senegal’s Abdoul Rahman Diaw.
Team V.4-EM-UAE