emirates7 - Yelyzaveta Lytvynenko secured a gold medal for the UAE in the -78 kg category at the 2026 Dushanbe Grand Slam in Tajikistan. Lytvynenko led her matches from the start, contributing to the UAE's strong performance at the tournament, which concluded today.

Lytvynenko defeated Yael van Heemst of the Netherlands in the final.This is Lytvynenko’s tenth World Judo Tour medal.

With this victory, the UAE national team finished sixth in the overall standings of the tournament.

Mohammed bin Thaaloob Al Derie, President of the UAE Judo Federation, congratulated the winner on this landmark achievement, noting that it would not have been possible without the support of the wise leadership for the youth and sports sector.

The 2026 Judo Grand Slam Dushanbe was held at the Kasri Tennis arena in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, from 1 to 3 May 2026 as part of the International Judo Federation (IJF) World Tour.

The tournament featured over 240 judoka from 34 countries.