Birthday gold crowns Skye Westwood at Lausanne Grand Slam

Great Britain’s Skye Westwood claimed Adapted Judo Grand Slam gold at the Ecole Mont-Olivet Lausanne Grand Slam 2026, making her mark at a landmark event for Judo. Her victory came on Friday, 28 August, which was also her birthday.

The Lausanne Grand Slam is a new stop on the IJF World Judo Tour and Switzerland’s first-ever Judo Grand Slam. It also brought a new moment for the sport, with adapted judoka and mainstream judoka competing at the same Grand Slam, on the same tatami and under the same spotlight.

Westwood was among the first champions crowned as several categories were decided early through a round-robin format. For the British athlete, the gold medal added a new achievement to an already impressive record.

Her previous successes include Special Olympics gold, an Open European title and multiple wins on the EJU Triglav Insurance Adapted Judo Tour. In Lausanne, she added the title of Adapted Judo Grand Slam gold medallist to that collection.

Skye Westwood turned her birthday into a historic gold-medal moment in Lausanne.

Competing in the Olympic Capital in front of thousands of spectators made the occasion even more meaningful. Westwood said she enjoyed the atmosphere in the arena, was pleased to see her friends and felt proud after reaching a goal she had set for herself.

Her medal was part of a wider breakthrough in Lausanne, where the shared Grand Slam stage gave adapted athletes visibility at the highest international level. For Westwood, it was a memorable personal result; for Judo, it was another clear sign of a changing and more inclusive competition landscape.

Source: EJU.net

Image source: EJU / European Judo Union