Yotov’s Rapid Counters Decide -66 kg Gold in Budapest

Boyan Yotov of Bulgaria claimed -66 kg gold at the Hungary Grand Slam after a composed counter-attacking display against Mongolia’s Byambasuren Ulziibayar. The final in Budapest brought together two judoka who had battled through a demanding category to reach the medal match.

Ulziibayar had already created one of the opening day’s biggest surprises. Ranked outside the world’s top 500 and arriving without a major international reference point, the Mongolian fought his way into the final and immediately looked ready for the challenge.

He was the first athlete to put Yotov under pressure, launching several smaller attacks that unsettled the Bulgarian without earning a score. Yotov stayed patient through that early phase, then found the moment that changed the contest: a lightning-fast counter for Waza-ari.

From there, the Bulgarian’s confidence was clear. Having absorbed Ulziibayar’s attacking intent, Yotov trusted his timing and countering ability. He struck again with another counter, this time scoring a clean Ippon to secure the gold medal.

The result adds another significant moment to Yotov’s senior progression. He had already earned bronze at the Zagreb Grand Prix in 2025, and his run to the Hungary Grand Slam title offered further evidence of his potential in the -66 kg category.

Yotov turned early pressure into a decisive two-score countering performance.

After the final, Yotov said he was pleased to have realised his visualisations and focused on performing in the moment. He also highlighted the atmosphere in Budapest, including the support from children in the crowd, which he described as especially meaningful.

Denis Vieru of Moldova took bronze after defeating Nizami Imranov of Azerbaijan in the first bronze medal contest. Vieru used his experience to take a tactical win, with Imranov receiving three penalties. The Moldovan arrived in Budapest as one of the category’s established names, having won Olympic bronze in Paris in 2024, world bronze in 2019 and 2022, and the European title in 2023.

The other bronze medal went to Japan’s Ryusei Seki, who earned a tactical victory over Kelvin Ray of France. Behind the medal winners, Imranov and Ray finished fifth, while Ivan Chernykh and Hungary’s Bence Pongracz placed seventh.

For Yotov, though, the defining image of the day was simple: calm under pressure, then clinical when the opening appeared.

Source: IJF.org

Image source: IJF / International Judo Federation