A Counter Delivers Ashpiz’s Budapest Breakthrough

Izhak Ashpiz of Israel claimed the -60 kg gold medal in Budapest after a decisive counter against France’s Enzo Jean in the final. The 18-year-old turned sustained pressure into a spectacular Ippon, securing his first Grand Slam title.

Both finalists had impressed on the way to the medal contest, where the stakes were especially high. Ashpiz arrived with a growing record that included world cadet bronze in 2023, the European cadet title in 2024, Grand Prix gold in Lima in 2025, and Grand Slam and European bronze medals in 2026.

Jean had also built strong momentum on the international circuit. The French judoka won his first Grand Slam medal, bronze in Paris in 2025, before taking gold at the Zagreb Grand Prix later that year.

Ashpiz looked close to scoring before the midway point of the final, when a small ashi-waza attack was initially given a score. That decision was later cancelled because the impact was judged insufficient, but Ashpiz did not lose control of the contest.

Instead, he continued to pressure Jean and forced errors that gave him the advantage on penalties. The final then changed in an instant: Ashpiz countered Jean cleanly for Ippon and a memorable gold-medal finish.

Ashpiz’s pressure created the opening before his counter settled the final.

After the win, Ashpiz highlighted the importance of belief from both himself and his team. He also set his sights on the World Championships in Baku, where he wants to challenge for the top of the podium.

The bronze medals went to two European athletes through strong ne-waza. Slovenia’s David Starkel forced Hungary’s Marton Andrasi to submit after securing a hold, while Ukraine’s Artem Lesiuk scored Ippon with an immobilisation against Azerbaijan’s Murad Muradli.

Jean finished with silver, while Starkel and Lesiuk completed the podium. Andrasi and Muradli placed fifth, with Portugal’s Fernandes B.Tralhao and Hungary’s Feczko Csanad in seventh.

Source: IJF.org

Image source: IJF / International Judo Federation