Leading the charge was Ana Viktorija Puljiz (CRO), who put on a fantastic run in -57kg, her new weight category. The World No. 30 battled her way all the way to the final, taking home a shiny silver medal. Already her second Grand Slam medal of the year, Ana is proving that the move up in weight was the right call – and she’s just getting started!
What a breakthrough! At just 21 years old, Nina Simić (CRO) stepped onto the big stage and claimed her first-ever Grand Slam medal. In an electrifying bronze medal match, Nina pulled off a perfectly timed ko-soto-gake for waza-ari, and with just nine seconds left on the clock, she countered an o-uchi-gari to seal the deal against her Japanese opponent. A gutsy performance and a well‑deserved bronze in the -63kg category.
Closing out the weekend in style, Helena Vuković (CRO) showed why she’s one of Croatia’s powerhouses. Deep into Golden Score, she launched in for a huge throw to score waza-ari and secure her second Grand Slam medal of the year – and the third of her career. Another brilliant performance from the heavyweight star!
Congratulations to Ana, Nina, and Helena – and to Croatia! What a statement in Ulaanbaatar. Team IPPONGEAR is beyond proud.
