Lausanne Finds Its Voice on the World Judo Tour

Lausanne has joined the World Judo Tour calendar with the first Ecole Mont-Olivet Lausanne Grand Slam, bringing elite judo to a new country and a new arena. The Vaudoise Arena is hosting an international event of this scale for the first time, and the opening response showed clear excitement around the tatami.

A total of 513 athletes from 77 countries are competing in the Grand Slam. For every judoka, the stakes extend beyond this week in Switzerland: the event offers important qualification points on the route towards the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

That makes every contest meaningful. A score, a win or a difficult loss can influence an athlete's longer Olympic journey, adding another level of intensity to a competition already packed with international talent.

The Lausanne programme also includes events for adapted judo and deaf judo, underlining the wider reach of the sport in its new Swiss setting. While the Grand Slam is the centrepiece of the World Judo Tour visit, the occasion brings several parts of the judo community together in one city.

For the teams working behind the scenes, a new venue presents its own challenge. Technical staff, organisers and volunteers have had to settle into unfamiliar surroundings while ensuring athletes can compete freely and spectators can follow the action comfortably.

The event got underway at 8.30am exactly as planned. The first Ippon was scored, the stands reacted, and Lausanne quickly began to build its own atmosphere as a World Judo Tour host.

Lausanne's first Grand Slam has opened with Olympic qualification pressure and strong local energy.

The setting may be new, but the feeling is familiar: judo bringing athletes, teams and fans together around the same contest space. As the competition develops, Lausanne has the chance to add its own chapter to the international judo calendar.

Source: IJF.org

Image source: IJF / International Judo Federation