Israeli Judoka Karem Bayramov Wins Bronze at Budapest Grand Slam

Israeli judoka Karem Bayramov secured a bronze medal in the under-63 kg category at the Budapest Grand Slam in Hungary on Saturday. This marks the second medal for the Israeli team at the competition, following a gold medal win by Yitzhak Narkis on Friday.

Bayramov expressed her joy, calling the medal her first Grand Slam medal and a significant personal achievement. She also dedicated the win as a gift to Israel ahead of Rosh Hashanah.

Her path to the medal included an ippon victory over South Africa's Star Knoester and a penalty win against the Czech Republic's Renata Zachova. In the quarterfinals, she lost to Slovenia's Kaja Kajzer but advanced to the bronze medal match through the repechage round, where she defeated Poland's Natalia Krukowska by ippon.

In the bronze medal bout, Bayramov faced Kosovo's Laura Fazliu, a two-time World Championship medalist and an Olympic bronze medalist from Paris 2024. Despite trailing early and receiving two penalties, Bayramov rallied in golden score, eventually securing a surprising victory with a 'yuko' to win the medal.

Head coach Shani Hershko praised Bayramov's performance, highlighting her high skill level, character, determination, and maturity. He emphasized the significance of winning a Grand Slam medal against a top-ranked opponent and Olympic medalist, underscoring Bayramov's progress and hard work.