Judo Western Australia is proud to acknowledge three of our elite judoka who represented Australia at the prestigious 2025 Baku Grand Slam, held in Azerbaijan from 14-16 February as part of the International Judo Federation’s World Judo Tour.

Jordon Greenbank (UWA Judo Club) – Men’s Under 73kg
Competing in his first-ever Grand Slam event, Jordon Greenbank faced Kazakhstan’s Islam Toktassyn in the Round of 32. Unfortunately, Jordon received three penalties during the match, resulting in hansoku-make and an early exit from the competition. Despite the tough result, this was a valuable experience for Jordon as he continues to develop on the international stage.

Saya Middleton (Perth Judo Club) – Women’s Under 70kg
Saya Middleton put up a strong fight in the women’s Under 70kg division. In her opening match, she took on Brazil’s Alexia Castilhos and battled to full time. Despite her resilience, Saya was defeated after her opponent secured both a waza-ari and yuko score, ending her run in the Round of 32.

Maria Swan (UWA Judo Club) – Women’s Under 78kg
Maria Swan began her tournament in the quarter-finals, where she faced Germany’s Anna Monta Olek. In a hard-fought match, Maria was taken into golden score but ultimately lost after conceding a yuko. Moving into the repechage round, she faced Japan’s Mami Umeki, a former World Champion, where she was defeated by ippon, concluding her competition run.

Competing at the Grand Slam level is a significant achievement, and we congratulate Jordon, Saya, and Maria on representing Australia on one of judo’s biggest stages. Their dedication and perseverance continue to inspire the next generation of WA judoka.

Stay tuned for more updates on WA judoka competing at international events!