Maria Laborde Places Fifth at Tel Aviv Grand Slam, Upsets World No. 8

(Colorado Springs, CO) – Maria Laborde (Kenosha, Wis. / NYAC / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center) came one match away from reaching the Grand Slam podium in Tel Aviv on Thursday with her fifth-place finish in Israel. 

2023 Tel Aviv Grand Slam Results

Less than a year into representing the United States on the World Tour, Laborde has already risen to the No. 20 position in the 48 kg world rankings and established herself as a frontrunner for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team.

Laborde, a two-time Senior World medalist when she competed for Cuba, opened the tournament with a throw for ippon against Ellen Salens (BEL).

She went on to defeat World No. 8 Milica Nikolic (SRB) on penalties in Golden Score (sudden death overtime) just two weeks after Nikolic won her 12th career Grand Slam medal in Paris where she took silver.

In the quarter-finals, Laborde and Mireia Lapuerta Comas (ESP) held two penalties each before Comas threw Laborde for ippon in the final minute. Comas went on to win her fourth career Grand Prix bronze after placing third in Paris and earning bronze medal finishes in Budapest and Antalya last year.

Laborde’s next opponent would be Tugce Beder (TUR) – the former Cadet World medalist who bested Laborde in the repechage of the Paris Grand Slam. This time, Laborde held Beder scoreless and took the match on penalties in Golden Score.

Fighting for bronze, Laborde took on Natasha Ferreira (BRA) – the rising star who Laborde defeated in the second round in Paris. With two penalties each, Ferreira took the match to the ground, choking Laborde to win her first Grand Slam medal.

Top eight and U.S. results are as follows:

Men’s 60 kg

1. Luka Mkheidze (FRA)

2. Francisco Garrigos (ESP)

3. Jorre Verstraeten (BEL)

3. Salih Yildiz (TUR)

5. Joshua Katz (AUS)

5. Balabay Aghayev (AZE)

7. Simone Aversa (ITA)

7. Sumiyabazar Enkhtaivan (MGL)

Women’s 48 kg

1. Blandine Pont (FRA)

2. Tamar Malca (ISR)

3. Mireia Lapuerta Comas (ESP)

3. Natasha Ferreira (BRA)

5. Narantsetseg Ganbaatar (MGL)

5. Maria Laborde (Kenosha, Wis. / NYAC / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center)

7. Laura Martinez Abelenda (ESP)

7. Tugce Beder (TUR)

Men’s 66 kg

1. Vazha Margvelashvili (GEO)

2. Orkhan Safarov (AZE)

3. Alberto Gaitero Martin (ESP)

3. Lasha Nadiradze (GEO)

5. Baruch Shmailov (ISR)

5. Tal Flicker (ISR)

7. Denislav Ivanov (BUL)

7. Yanislav Gerchev (BUL)

Women’s 52 kg

1. Chelsie Giles (GBR)

2. Ana Perez Box (ESP)

3. Larissa Pimenta (BRA)

3. Odette Giuffrida (ITA)

5. Mascha Ballhaus (GER)

5. Fabienne Kocher (SUI)

7. Aleksandra Kaleta (POL)

7. Amber Ryheul (BEL)

Men’s 73 kg

1. Nils Stump (SUI)

2. Igor Wandtke (GER)

3. Mark Hristov (BUL)

3. Daniel Cargnin (BRA)

5. Magdiel Estrada (CUB)

5. Tsogtbaatar Tsend-Ochir (MGL)

7. Giovanni Esposito (ITA)

7. Arthur Margelidon (CAN)

Also Competed: Dominic Rodriguez (Lehigh Acres, FL / NYAC / Ki-Itsu-Sai National Training Center), 0-1

Women’s 57 kg

1. Jessica Klimkait (CAN)

2. Christa Deguchi (CAN)

3. Timna Nelson Levy (ISR)

3. Mina Libeer (BEL)

5. Rafaela Silva (BRA)

5. Daria Bilodid (UKR)

7. Pauline Starke (GER)

7. Ozlem Yildiz (TUR)

Men’s 81 kg

1. Sagi Muki (ISR)

2. Vedat Albayrak (TUR)

3. Francois Gauthier Drapeau (CAN)

3. Timo Cavelius (GER)

5. Joao Fernando (POR)

5. Antonio Esposito (ITA)

7. Zelim Tckaev (AZE)

7. Eduardo Yudy Santos (BRA)

Women’s 63 kg

1. Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard (CAN)

2. Maylin Del Toro Carvajal (CUB)

3. Laura Fazliu (KOS)

3. Lucy Renshall (GBR)

5. Gili Sharir (ISR)

5. Katharina Haecker (AUS)

7. Larisse Agbegnenou (FRA)

7. Renata Zachova (CZE)

Men’s 90 kg

1. Beka Gviniashvili (GEO)

2. Krisztian Toth (HUN)

3. Altanbagana Gantulga (MGL)

3. Mammadali Mehdiyev (AZE)

5. Ivan Felipe Silva Morales (CUB)

5. Rafael Macedo (BRA)

7. Christian Parlati (ITA)

7. Nemanja Majdov (SRB)

Also Competed: Alex Knauf (Yorkville, Ill. / NYAC / Cohen Brothers Judo), 0-1

Women’s 70 kg

1. Margaux Pinot (FRA)

2. Miriam Butkereit (GER)

3. Aoife Coughlan (AUS)

3. Gabriella Willems (BEL)

5. Martina Esposito (ITA)

5. Elisavet Teltsidou (GRE)

7. Lara Cvjetko (CRO)

7. Maya Goshen (ISR)

Men’s 100 kg

1. Zelym Kotsoiev (AZE)

2. Michael Korrel (NED)

3. Leonardo Goncalves (BRA)

3. Kyle Reyes (CAN)

5. Gennaro Pirelli (ITA)

5. Peter Paltchik (ISR)

7. Jorge Fonseca (POR)

7. Asley Gonzalez (ROU)

Women’s 78 kg

1. Alice Bellandi (ITA)

2. Madeleine Malonga (FRA)

3. Patricia Sampaio (POR)

3. Mami Umeki (JPN)

5. Inbar Lanir (ISR)

5. Fanny Estelle Posvite (FRA)

7. Beata Pacut-Kloczko (POL)

7. Alina Boehm (GER)

Men’s +100 kg

1. Tsetsentsengel (MGL)

2. Ushangi Kokauri (AZE)

3. Emre Sanal (FRA)

3. Rafael Silva (BRA)

5. Joao Cesarino (BRA)

5. Jaegu Youn (KOR)

7. Yevheniy Balyevskyy (UKR)

7. Losseni Kone (GER)

Women’s +78 kg

1. Raz Hershko (ISR)

2. Kayra Sayit (TUR)

3. Karen Stevenson (NED)

3. Milica Zabic (SRB)

5. Rochele Nunes (POR)

5. Yuli Alma Mishiner (ISR)

7. Larisa Ceric (BIH)

7. Idalys Ortiz (CUB)