Danno Finds the Opening for -63 kg Gold in Budapest

Megu Danno of Japan claimed the -63 kg title in Budapest after a demanding golden score final against Slovenia’s Kaja Kajzer Zabkar. The decisive moment came late, when Danno found a yuko with ko-uchi-gake to secure gold.

Kajzer Zabkar arrived with a strong record at elite level. The Slovenian won European silver in 2024, finished fifth at the Tokyo Olympic Games and had already built momentum in 2026 with victory at the Ljubljana European Open, bronze at the Tbilisi Grand Slam and fifth place at the European Championships.

That experience showed in the final. Danno said her Slovenian opponent was extremely powerful in the early stages, forcing the Japanese judoka to stay patient and absorb the pressure before the contest moved into golden score.

Danno’s patience in golden score created the chance that decided the final.

For Danno, the title adds to a recent run that includes silver at the 2024 Tokyo Grand Slam and gold at the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Slam. She explained that the result was important for remaining competitive in Japan’s domestic selections, giving her extra determination going into the event.

The bronze medal contests also produced close finishes. Kerem Primo of Israel and Laura Fazliu of Kosovo were level for a long period before Primo scored a small yuko in golden score to take bronze. Fazliu entered the contest as an Olympic bronze medallist from Paris and a world bronze medallist in Abu Dhabi in 2024 and Budapest in 2025.

In the other bronze medal contest, Spain’s Ariela Sanchez Benitez defeated Austria’s Lubjana Piovesana by tactical victory. Primo and Sanchez Benitez completed the podium behind Danno and Kajzer Zabkar.

Natalia Kropska of Poland and Carlotta Avanzato of Italy finished seventh, while Fazliu and Piovesana were ranked fifth. For Kajzer Zabkar, silver was another notable European result in a competitive -63 kg category; for Danno, one late ko-uchi-gake made the difference.

Source: IJF.org

Image source: IJF / International Judo Federation