The Croatian fans didn’t have to wait long for celebration. On Day 1, Ana Viktorija Puljiz (CRO) set the tone for the team, claiming silver in the -57kg and extending her incredible season. The result marks her 8th World Tour medal and her third podium of 2025.
In -63kg, Iva Oberan (CRO) showed nerves of steel. Trailing by waza-ari, she stayed laser-focused and flipped the match with a beautiful sasae-tsuri-komi-ashi, scoring a clean ippon and earning a well-deserved bronze.
Helena Vuković (CRO) continued her phenomenal year in style. With a bronze in +78kg, she secured her 6th medal of the season — and winning it at home made it even sweeter.
U23 European bronze medalist Bernd Fasching (AUT) delivered one of his strongest performances to date. Competing in the -81kg division, Fasching fought his way through a demanding field to secure an impressive silver medal. This podium finish marks his second IJF World Tour medal of the year.
One of the most heartwarming moments of the entire weekend came from Stephan Hegyi (AUT). After a long and challenging stretch marked by injuries, Hegyi made a powerful return to form, stepping back onto the World Tour podium for the first time since 2022 and capturing a bronze medal in the +100kg category.
Andrea Stojadinov (SRB) fought through a dramatic golden score to claim bronze in -48kg, proving once again why she’s one of the most exciting lightweights to watch.
We couldn’t be prouder of our athletes and the performances they delivered in Zagreb. Now, all eyes turn to the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam — let’s carry this momentum forward.
