Astana signals fresh momentum for Australia’s Para-judo squad

Australia’s Para-judo group arrived in Astana with a small team, but the feeling around them was bigger than numbers. Funding remains a real challenge, yet the performances on day two of the IBSA Grand Prix suggested that progress is already taking shape.

The standout morning story came from Maysa Abouzeid in the J1W -60 kg category. A relative newcomer on the IBSA tour, she first beat a home athlete in the round of 16 and then produced the surprise of her day by defeating top seed Larissa Silva of Brazil in the quarter-final. That result pushed Silva into repechage and sent Abouzeid into a semi-final against reigning IBSA world champion Uljon Amrieva of Uzbekistan.

Abouzeid lost that semi-final, but her run still earned her a place in the final block for the first time at an IBSA Judo event. For an athlete balancing elite competition with full-time work as a social worker, it was a significant step and one that reflected both resilience and steady growth.

Maysa Abouzeid turned a strong morning session into a breakthrough day.

Speaking openly about life as a J1 athlete, Abouzeid explained that she has a very small amount of vision in one spot in her left eye and that her brain adapts around it. She also made clear that competing internationally depends heavily on financial support. Like many athletes, she manages training alongside work, but her comments showed no self-pity, only realism and determination.

Her connection to judo goes back years. After hearing during the Beijing Olympics that blind judo had been recognized since 1988 for visually impaired athletes, she went looking for a way in and never stopped. For her, judo is not only competition. It is health, independence and a daily challenge that demands action and discipline.

There were encouraging signs beyond one athlete too. Taylor Gosens also reached the final block on day two, a notable result because it came in her first event since moving from over 70 kg to under 70 kg. That kind of transition can be demanding, which made the performance especially promising for Australia.

Both athletes pointed to a more structured environment around the team. Abouzeid credited the coaches with helping athletes improve technically, while Gosens highlighted the impact of new head coach Ivica Pavlovic and coach Fabian in Astana. In her view, the program has become more organized, and the effort to secure funding is part of that renewed push.

A smaller team can still create a big shift.

Judo Australia described Astana as the country’s most successful Para Judo event on record, citing the performances of Abouzeid in J1U60kg and Gosens in J2U70kg. Even without expanding beyond the facts on the mat, that statement captures the mood around this group.

Australia’s Para-judo team is still building, and the obstacles have not disappeared. But in Astana, the combination of breakthrough results, visible belief and a new coaching direction made one thing hard to ignore: this team is moving forward.

Source: IJF.org

Image source: IJF / International Judo Federation