Karem Primo Wins Bronze at Budapest Grand Slam Judo Tournament

Israeli judoka Karem Primo secured a bronze medal in the under-63 kg category at the Budapest Grand Slam on September 26, 2024. This achievement follows a gold medal win by fellow Israeli Yitzhak Aspiz in the under-60 kg division the previous day, marking a successful outing for Israel at the tournament.

Primo's bronze medal match victory over Kosovo's Distria Krasniqi, an opponent who had previously caused a severe injury to Primo in 2023, held significant personal and mental importance for the Israeli athlete. Primo's path to the medal included wins against opponents from South Africa and the Czech Republic, a loss in the quarterfinals to Slovenia's Andreja Leški, and a subsequent win in the repechage round against Poland's Natalia Krukowska.

Primo expressed her joy and pride in winning her first Grand Slam medal, dedicating it as a gift to Israel for the upcoming Rosh Hashanah holiday. She extended thanks to her coaching staff, including head coach Shani Hershko and personal coach Golen Pollak, as well as the professional and medical teams, the Judo Association, and her club, Beitav Netanya, and sponsor Sano.

Head coach Shani Hershko praised Primo's performance, highlighting her high level of skill, character, determination, and maturity. He noted the significance of her victory over a top-ranked opponent and Olympic medalist, emphasizing her continued progress. Hershko also thanked the support staff and organizations that enable the team's success.

Other Israeli judokas competing included Ohad Maimon (under-73 kg), who reached the repechage after losing in the quarterfinals to Azerbaijan's Hidayat Heydarov, and Itay Bitonko (under-81 kg), Adi Nuvitsky (under-70 kg), and Yonathan Albez (under-73 kg), who were eliminated earlier in the competition.