British Duo Set for Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam Challenge
June 18, 2026
This weekend, two British judoka will travel to Mongolia to compete at the Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam, in the first event of the LA 2028 Olympic qualification period.
Acelya Toprak (Camberley Judo Club) will contest the -57kg category, marking her first competition appearance since April, where she secured a fifth-place finish at the Senior European Championships. Prior to that, Toprak also placed fifth at the Tbilisi Grand Slam in March, narrowly missing out on a medal on both occasions. Across both events, she demonstrated her ability to compete with the very best in the division.
Fresh from her selection to represent Team England at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, Toprak will be looking to build momentum and challenge strongly once again.
She will face Shannon van de Meeberg (NED) in her opening contest in the round of 32 on Friday 19 June.
Irakli Goginashvili (Palavani) will compete in the -73kg category in just his second Grand Slam appearance. Goginashvili enjoyed an outstanding 2025 campaign, claiming the Junior European title and a bronze medal at the Junior World Championships, alongside huge success on the Junior European Cup circuit.
In 2026, he has stepped up to more senior competition, opening his year with appearances at the Paris Grand Slam and the Grand Prix Upper Austria, gaining valuable experience at the highest level. He has since returned to the podium with gold at the Kaunas Junior European Cup and silver at the La Nucia/Benidorm European Open, heading into Mongolia in strong form.
This event holds particular significance on the IJF World Tour calendar, marking the beginning of a new Olympic qualification period. Both athletes will be aiming to make their mark on the international stage as they take on world-class opposition in Ulaanbaatar, looking to kick off the LA Olympic cycle in style.
He will face Steven Boldbaatar (USA) in his opening contest in the round of 32 on Saturday 20 June.
