Peter Safrany knocks on the door in Zagreb

The men’s U90kg final at the Zagreb Grand Prix was a heart-pounding contest that kept spectators on edge until the very last second. In a match full of intense attacks and counter-attacks, Hungary’s Peter Safrany emerged victorious, securing his first-ever gold medal on the World Judo Tour.

As the contest approached golden score, Safrany caught his opponent, Brazil’s Marcelo Fronckowiak, with an immobilisation just two seconds before the clock ran out, earning ippon and clinching the title.

Vugar Talibov (AZE), a top-seeded contender after a strong season with podium finishes at the Baku and Qazaqstan Barysy Grand Slams, began the tournament with a victory over Gustavo Assis (BRA). However, his campaign ended prematurely in the next round against Mark Van Dijk (NED), after being disqualified for reaping his opponent's supporting leg.

Van Dijk then advanced to the semi-finals, where he faced Safrany, the 2021 Junior World Champion and 2022 runner-up. Safrany, who had been searching for a breakthrough result on the senior circuit, left no room for doubt, dominating Van Dijk to secure his spot in the final.

In the other semi-final, Fronckowiak, who took bronze at the Upper Austria Grand Prix 2023, faced South Korea’s Sungho Lee. After a closely contested match, the Brazilian advanced to the final.

The bronze medal contests saw Akaki Japaridze (GEO) defeat Lee in golden score after Lee was penalised for leg blocking. In the second bronze medal match, Van Dijk rebounded from his semi-final loss, defeating Giorgi Jabniashvili (GEO) with a well-timed seoi-otoshi in golden score.

With his victory, Safrany secured a memorable gold medal, marking a major milestone in his judo career.